The Silver Man
by itsnanibabeex3
Summary: Cremia is heartbroken when her childhood sweetheart Kafei gets engaged, but there is someone out there that would do anything to be with her, even if it meant stalking her from afar. Cremia/OniLink
1. Chapter 1

Thunder.

It boomed over the vast land of Termina, casting a dark shadow over the hilly Romani Ranch. Eighteen year old Cremia hurried as she led the cows into the barn before pulling a canvas sheet over the area where a stray horse her eleven year old sister Romani had found was shivering nervously.

"There, there, girl. It'll be alright." Cremia shielded her eyes as she looked up into the dark sky. She had no idea why it'd been storming so much lately. Oh well, right?

The girl grabbed her younger sister and ran inside as the first few drops of rain began to fall.

"Woo! Close one, yeah, Romani...Romani?" Cremia furrowed her brow as she watched her younger sister stare out the little window sadly.

"What about that boy?"

Cremia dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "He's gone, Romani, he probably went home to his mother..." The older girl faltered at the thought of her own late parents. The ranch, along with her younger sister, were her complete responsibility now, and at her young age, she still felt like she had things under control. She hoped she did, anyway.

"Set the table, now, while I start dinner.."

The older sister lit a fire under a pot of boiling water and began to slice onions as her short, adorable younger sister placed two metal plates on the table. The only two plates that had been on that table for a very long time.

Romani played with the girls' pet dog as the aroma of chicken stew began to fill the small, two story brick house. Thunder cackled loudly outside as it darkened even more.

Cremia sighed as she ladled stew into bowls and placed warm bread on the plates.

"Sister?"

"Yes, Romani?" Cremia blew on a spoon of stew.

"Why do you like him so much?"

Cremia almost dropped her spoon in surprise.

"L-like who? Are you eavesdropping again?"

Romani shook her head as she stared into her lap.

"I just always see you look at him when we're in Clocktown. He's getting married, you know. It's wrong to like married people. That's all."

Cremia tensed up. "I don't know what you're talking about, Romani."

The older sister stood and cleaned up. She looked at her sister, who was still seated.

"Romani, it's time for bed. You can sleep with me tonight if you clean your side of the room."

"Yes, sister."

xxxx


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Cremia had to go to town to deliver some boxes of milk to the Mayor's residence. The girl remembered this as she hopped out of bed hastily and threw on a simple white and pink dress before brushing her thick, lush mane of strawberry-red hair.

She looked in the mirror and smiled, wanting to leave a good impression on the Mayor and his family. She'd never been sent directly toward his home before.

Her large, ocean-blue eyes sparkled over her little nose and wide, happy grin. The splitting image of her mother. When she was young, she'd resembled Romani exactly the way she was now. Where was Romani, anyway?

"Romani!"

Nothing. Cremia sighed heavily in frustration. She was outside, probably getting dirty.

Cremia pulled on her boots and ran down the stairs, grabbed a piece of bread, and headed outside to find her little sister brushing the mane of the stray horse.

"Romani, I need you to help me with the boxes, okay?" The older sister tore the piece of bread in half and gave the bigger half to her little sister, who smiled up at her.

"Okay!"

As Romani scuffled off to grab the boxes, Cremia hitched the wagon to her two beloved mules, Kaepora and Gaebora (haha xD). She then grabbed the boxes from her sister and loaded them into the wagon.

"Now, Romani, if you promise to behave, you can come this time. But no messing around, okay? This is business." Romani nodded excitedly.

Cremia looked into the sky. Thankfully, it was semi-clear today, but the wet ground wouldn't be fun to clean off the wheels. The girl sighed. That's life, she thought.

"Let's go."

Cremia clicked her tongue as the mules started to slowly trot toward the exit of the huge ranch. Romani sat next to Cremia, her hands in her lap, but her face exploding with anticipation. The little girl loved Clocktown, everything about it. Cremia loved to see her sister happy, but was very afraid for her, as Termina had begun to fill with criminals and bad, bad men. The Gerudo pirates had also started showing up in groups. Not good.

The girls looked around the scenery of Termina Field as the mules slowed to a stop in fron of the entrance of East Clocktown.

"Here we go, Romani...woop!" Cremia swung her giggling sister off the wagon and onto the soggy ground. She handed her the lightest box and she heaved the other two heavy ones onto each other and carried them with slight difficulty. She was used to this kind of work.

"Tell me where I'm going, honey."

"Cremia, the guard is looking at your butt again!"

"Romani, just tell me where I'm going!" Cremia's face flushed.

"The door's right in front of you, silly! I'll open it." Romani giggled and put down her box as she pulled the door open. She picked up her box and followed her older sister inside.

The cute green-haired secretary giggled as she nodded toward them.

"Go ahead and put them down, girls, thank you so much! I'll notify the Mayor."

"You're welcome, hun, I'll just be..." Cremia faltered as the door swung open and the Mayor's son stepped out, but soon stopped in his tracks and froze as he caught sight of Cremia.

"H-how's it going, Cremia?" He stuttered awkwardly.

Cremia just stared for a moment, before forcing out a sentence that make her heart bleed.

"Congratulations on your engagment, Kafei..."


	3. Chapter 3

Romani noticed the tension and held her sister's hand to comfort her. She wasn't as dumb and clueless as her older sister thought she was. She knew exactly what was going on.

"Thanks...I gotta go. Bye girls." Kafei hastily rushed toward the door and left.

Cremia bit her lip as she fought the tears. She didn't want anyone to know...

"Here's your 100 Rupees, sweetie," said the secretary as she handed Cremia the money.

"Thank you." Cremia nodded at the young woman.

"Let's go, Romani." She said in a voice barely above a whisper.

xxxx

Cremia sighed as she dropped herself rather heavily into the tub of soap and hot water. She threw her head back and closed her eyes as the image of Kafei's confused ruby eyes flooded her mind. Oh, what a thing, for your lifelong sweetheart to pull a heartbreaker and get engaged to your best friend. What a thing, indeed. Cremia allowed her sore muscles to loosen up in the comfort of the warm bubbly water around her.

"Life goes on, I guess..."

After a moment of attempted relaxation, Cremia pulled a towel from the side of the tub and wrapped it around her still-sore body as she stepped out of the water. She dried off and almost laughed at the sight in the mirror. Her arms and legs were labor-toned to the point where they were almost as muscular as a young man's, while the rest of her body was soft, slightly full, and womanly as could be.

"What a spectacle," scoffed Cremia as she pulled her clothes on. She braided her hair in two long plaits and headed downstairs to feed herself and her sister.

They had an early dinner, then cleaned up the house, washed their clothes, and mended boots until the sun went down.

Cremia was relieved that the moon was back to normal after Termina had gone through a frightening episode of a curse upon it. A strange boy in green was rumored to have saved the land, and sometimes the girls still saw him wandering around the ranch and other places.

She'd also seen at some points another strange man...but she didn't want to think right now.

"Romani, before you go to bed, make sure you put the mules away and feed them."

"Yes, sister."

Cremia looked into the sky once more from the window. Even though the curse of the moon supposedly was over, it had been dark and grey in Termina for weeks. It would come and go, but it would generally be very bleak out. The people had just accepted the fact that it would rain and thunder forever.

The sky was pink as lightning danced across the border between the hills of the ranch and the dark clouds. Cremia clicked impatiently.

"Romani?"

"I'm on my way, I promise!"

"Before the rain falls, Romani."

"Gotcha."

As her happy little sister sang and ran outside, Cremia closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. She wished she could be as carefree and happy as Romani, but her heart was too fragile at the moment to be trained to not give a damn about life.

Suddenly, Romani screamed. Cremia almost knocked the wooden table down as she rushed outside to see what was going on.

"Romani?! What's going on? Romani, where are you?"

She spotted her sister hiding behind the barn, her eyes wide with fear.

"What happened?" The first drops of rain had started to fall.

"You know what, go on inside, I'll take care of the mules. Tell me when I get back."

Romani nodded and ran at lightning speed into the house before slamming the door and peeking out the window at her sister.

Cremia looked around in the sky. Usually when Romani freaked out, she'd caught the sight of the huge, strange bird-like creature that swooped down upon people and stole their items. While it was generally harmless if kept at bay, Romani was deathly afraid of it.

But Cremia didn't see it. She sighed as she led the mules into the barn and poured some meal for them. She then looked around once more as she closed the door behind her.

"Strange little girl, my sister is."

But as Cremia walked toward their little house and turned around to look once more, she could've sworn on anything at the moment that she'd caught a glimpse of a pair of gleaming white eyes blinking before disappearing into the now pouring rain.

xx

"You saw it, didn't you?!"

Cremia's chest heaved in fear as Romani inquired her demandingly.

"Yeah, I saw it too! It was a Wolfos, I know it! I thought you said they didn't exist!"

"T-they don't, Romani," Cremia breathed, not wanting her sister to know that Wolfos existed, or she wouldn't sleep at night. How irresponsible was she, sending her baby sister outside at night to do chores while those things roamed around Termina...

"It was probably a cat or something. Come, let's go to bed now, okay?"

"Okay."

xxxx

Cremia lay in bed that night as her sister slept next to her. Surely Wolfos wouldn't be able to get into the ranch with the new gate that their uncles Gorman and Gorman built in front of the ranch after Termina's infamous thief, Sakon, had tried to break into their house one night. Wolfos wouldn't be able to jump over it. Maybe they dug a hole under it? Cremia would have to check that out in the morning. She didn't want any harm to come to her sister or their animals.

She carefully got out of the bed and looked out of the window of the bedroom, which was facing the main part of the ranch. She studied the grounds carefully, but saw nothing but the hard rain beating upon their soil.

Cremia shook her head as she crept back into bed with her snoring little sister. The young girl had insisted on sleeping in the same bed because she was still scared.

I'll check it all out later, thought Cremia as she yawned. She was asleep in seconds.

xxxx


	4. Chapter 4

"Where have you been, hmm?"

"Master, I-"

"You were watching that girl again, weren't you..?"

Oni closed his white, pupiless eyes and nodded in defeat.

"My boy, who was it that freed you from your other body?"

"You, Master. I am thankful."

The mask salesman smiled.

"Ah, you should be."

Oni nodded again. He had come to existence when the young Hero, Link, put on the Fierce Diety Mask, but little did the young boy know that a new soul had been infused into his own the moment he donned the frightful mask. Oni-Link's soul was in anguish as the young boy took advantage of his power, and he pleaded and pleaded with the mask salesman through his mind to release him from the young boy's body.

The mask salesman had complied, but under the condition that he would become the property of the salesman. To do his bidding and fulfill his whim.

"Look at yourself, Oni. You are what you are because I made you."

Oni looked into the ornate mirror on the wall of the dark, dank room under the Clock Tower, where he lived with his Master. He saw a young man with long, shaggy silvery white hair over his lightly tanned face, his gleaming white eyes over his sharp nose and thin lips. His red-and-blue facial markings glowed eerily under his pupiless eyes.

He was wearing a silver tunic with ornate armor on top, complete with gauntlets and ending in dark brown boots. And over his back hung a long, twisted gray-green sword.

"I am thankful.." he said again, softly.

Master grinned and nodded.

"My boy.."

"Yes, Master.."

"I wouldn't go around trying to talk to women, if I were you, boy.. you know what I sent you to do here in Termina. You are to watch for signs of trouble. You are to watch for the Skullkid. You know what he's taken from me...again." The mask salesman shuddered.

Oni nodded. "Understood, Master."

Oni hadn't existed for very long, but the moment he'd laid eyes on the beautiful young woman in the ranch, he was taken. He wasn't created to fall in love, but before even speaking a word to that angel through young Link's body, he wanted her for himself.

He tried to shake the selfish thought from his head, but he couldn't help himself.

"Oh, Oni.."

"Master..."

"I'm quite hungry, you know. Please be a dear and fetch your Master some food."

"Yes, Master."

xxxx

Oni walked out from under the Clock Tower and breathed in the morning air. He wasn't quite used to his body, he'd only had it for a few weeks, but if he'd learned one thing, he definitely knew how to appreciate the senses. He enjoyed food, he enjoyed pleasant scents, he enjoyed...beauty.

But people were afraid of poor Oni. He'd wave to children, only to have them hide behind their wide-eyed, frozen mothers. He'd thank shopkeepers only to have them stare blankly at his 6'3 frame.

But it was all worth it to enjoy being free of the depressing silence of the young Hero Link's short-lived quest. He was Oni, not Link. He didn't want to be associated with that boy at all.

Oni approached a food-seller's cart in East Clocktown. He smiled at her, even though she looked like she'd just seen the cursed moon's face.

"Erm...two containers of rice and roast Cuccoo please.." He said politely and softly.

The woman hastily pulled two warm containers of food from the box under her cart and handed them to the tall, strange man before her. She held her hand up as he dug in his armor for his bag of Rupees. He started to speak, but the woman shook her head.

"It's free!" she squeaked, her shoulders tensing up.

"No, madam, I-"

"Please! It's on the house. Pay next time."

"I...thank you.." Oni faltered. He nodded in thanks as he grabbed the food and headed back toward South Clocktown to feed his Master.

xxxx

"That was delightful, my boy. Thank you so very much."

The mask salesman pushed his empty container aside and looked up at his tall servant.

"Will you please remove my slippers? I'd very much like to take a small nap before I head toward the astronomy tower to visit my dear friend."

"Yes, Master."

Oni obeyed and removed the slippers from the maskman's feet as he slipped into the large, king sized bed and slowly dozed off.

Oni usually slept wherever he fell asleep, but if he was lucky enough to get home before that, he slept on the stairs to the door.

The young man sighed.

What was that beautiful woman doing? He wanted to go find out.

He'd been watching her from afar from the day his Master had freed him from Link's body. He'd watched her come and go, watched her wake up, go to bed... he pretty much stalked her. She was the main reason of his happiness, and she didn't even know it. Her vibrant smile, her simple style, her simple life at a ranch and the beauty of her dedication to raising her young sister. But lately she'd been a bit down..

Oni remembered her young sister saying something about her older sister having feelings for a married man. His heart sank at the thought that she could like someone else.

Some undeserving man would be the one to enjoy her vibrance, her bright aura...

No, no, he shook the thought.

As long as I can see her, she's mine. At least from afar...

Oni took a breath as he slowly opened the door and slipped out into the late morning air.

He nodded at the guard at the exit of the town and made his way out into Termina Field. He rushed at lightning speed toward the ranch and made sure he was well hidden behind one of the taller hills as he watched the younger sister play happily with her dog.

Where was the beautiful older girl? He thought as he heard the little one giggle.

And then he saw her as she led a large creme horse around the corner of the barn.

Oni held his breath. She was stunning, with her long, vibrant red hair throwing a sharp contrast against the darkening grey of the sky, her eyes sparkling against her fair skin. She laughed, the most musical sound Oni'd ever heard, as she watched her little sister chase the dog around a box in front of their little house.

Then, the young man froze as the lovely girl's head snapped in his direction. The young girl also looked after a moment, both the girls seemed to be staring at him.

The angel on earth suddenly ushered her sister into the house, and closed the door after the both of them. She then drew the curtain over the window and blew out the light.

Oni took a breath and zoomed around the back of the house to listen...

"It's the Wolfos! It was silver, I saw it! You lied, Cremia!"

Cremia...it was beautiful. It suited her so well.

"Okay, Romani, they exist, all right? I just didn't want you to be scared."

"Well, I am now!"

"Okay, just...just..go upstairs for a minute. I'm going to borrow your bow."

That was Oni's cue. He zoomed over and out of the ranch, heading back toward Clock Tower.

xxxx


	5. Chapter 5

**Warning: There's a bit of sexual violence in this chapter.**

"Can I come out now-"

"NO."

"Argh!"

"Romani, your tone.."

"Sorry, sister."

Cremia stood in front of the door of the girls' home, the bow in her hand aimed toward where she saw the pair of gleaming white eyes under what looked like a tuft of silvery white fur. She'd seen it for sure. No, she was most certainly NOT going to deal with Wolfos roaming around her ranch, putting her animals and sister in danger. Not while she was around.

"I think it's gone."

Romani slid carefully out of the house, eyeing her sister fearfully.

"Did I say you could...ugh, oh well. Come out." Cremia sighed, lowering the bow.

She looked down at her younger sister, who was looking in the direction of where Cremia had been aiming. She had a puzzled look in her huge blue eyes.

"Romani, I want you to stay in the house until I get back."

"But where are you going? Cremia?"

The older sister mounted her creme colored mare, swinging the bow over her back.

"I'm going to go have a word with our uncles about this."

Romani stood idly for a moment before agreeing and locking herself in the house.

Cremia clicked her tongue and rode off slowly toward the exit of the ranch. Her eyes widened as she saw no sign of digging or breaking the wire of the fence. Could Wolfos really jump that high? She shuddered as she turned the corner into her twin uncles' part of the ranch.

Although they'd had their disagreements and even altercations in the past with Cremia and her family, her uncles Gorman and Gorman were a couple of the only few relatives she knew were alive. She sighed as she dismounted the horse, looking into the eyes of the first Gorman.

"Hello, Uncle."

"Hello, Cremia." Her uncle half-sneered, eyeing the dirt on the hem of her dress.

Cremia struggled for words. "I..um.."

"Out with it, girl, we're busy!"

"Um..Wolfos have been breaking into the ranch lately...do you have any idea how?"

Gorman scoffed. He looked at other Gorman, who was sneering in Cremia's direction.

"Wolfos, you say? The girl is delusional, like her Papa was. Ain't no Wolfos here."

"Don't call Papa that. Please.." Cremia went red.

Gorman and Gorman raised their eyebrows.

"Well, Cremia, the most we can do is tell ya to tie one of your mutts to the gate and he'll bark if he sees somethin'. Give y'all enough time to defend yourselves."

"And have our dog eaten alive by Wolfos? Nonsense, Uncle Gorman!"

The Gorman shrugged. "Not much I can tell ya, love. Now off with ya."

Cremia sighed and nodded toward her uncles before mounting her horse and heading toward Clocktown. Maybe someone there could help her...but she couldn't take too long, Romani was alone back at the ranch...

But who would know a solution to this problem?

Grasshopper?

That boy was always too busy to stay around and help. Cremia shrugged it off.

Then it hit her.

Cremia hopped off the horse and rushed into the entrance of West Clocktown, hurrying into the Bomb Shop. The bald, tattooed, emaciated-looking owner looked up in surprise.

"Miss Cremia!" The owner bowed. "What's a fine young lady like you doing in a rough bomb shop like this?" He smiled, looking her up and down. Cremia blushed.

"Well, um, I, uh, have this problem with Wolfos...and I was wonderin'.. if maybe you'd have some sorta trap-like device.."

"Stationary Bombchu. They go off when touched, so I suggest you activate them at night before you sleep, goodness forbid that adorable kid sister of yours touches it by accident."

The owner leaned forward and grinned into Cremia's face.

"They're 200 Rupees for two, but for you, I'll give you three for 50."

Cremia smiled nervously. "Is there a catch?"

The owner rubbed his bald head cunningly.

"Oh, no, no...nothing like that..maybe you'd like to go to dinner with me sometime, though, yeah?"

Cremia almost choked on her own breath as she took in what he'd said.

"Ya need some water, darling?"

"Ahem, no, no...I'm fine. I'll see. Bye!"

Cremia grabbed the bag of Bombchu and hastily handed the confused man his money. She rushed as fast as she could toward her horse, jumped onto her, and rode back to the ranch. Her heart raced. Was Romani alright? She'd been gone for almost 20 minutes!

Cremia unlocked the gate and rode toward the house, dismounting when she was close enough to sprint toward her house.

She opened the door to find that Romani had cooked her a surprise lunch of vegetable stew and day-old bread, complete with room-temperature Chateau Romani milk.

"Surprise!" Romani beamed.

"Aww, come here!" Cremia pulled her sister into a hug after she'd set the bag of Bombchu on the table.

"What's that?" asked Romani as her older sister put her down.

"These," Cremia held the bag up," are Stationary Bombchu. Listen," she said more firmly toward her little sister, "You're not to mess around with these, okay? I'm going to activate them before bed so the Wolfos won't come back."

"Okay!"

"Now let's enjoy this little lunch you made."

xxxxx

"Thanks, Mr. Big Creepy Guy!"

Oni rolled his eyes (well, you couldn't really tell) as the group of children that called themselves the Bombers huddled excitedly around the balloon that he'd retrieved for them.

Luckily, there were a few oddballs in Termina that didn't mind his company, including these strange kids that tried to pass themselves off as badasses. There was also the pretty girl at the Bombchu Bowling Alley, but she flirted with everyone and their mother.

Then there was Japas the Zora, who referred to Oni as 'White Bro' and slapped him on the back upon seeing him.

Oni was thankful to the ones that treated him kindly, but was the most thankful to his Master, the reason he was here, breathing air and walking around in his own body, instead of being an anguished soul trapped in the naive, innocent heart of Link.

The sun was finally setting behind the stormclouds, and a knot formed in the pit of Oni's stomach.

Cremia! What was she doing?

"I have to see her.."

The sun had completely set by the time he ran back to his home to tell his Master that he'd be out for a while. The mask salesman hesitated before approving.

Oni was running toward Romani Ranch before he knew it. He'd reached the gate...

And walking toward him, her fiery hair blowing in the pre-storm breeze, in a white silk nightgown that stopped at her knees...

It was her..

And she'd seen him!

Oni froze, unable to move, not knowing whether to run or to stay.

The angel called Cremia gasped and dropped a brown sack at her feet.

She stared at the sight before her : A tall, muscular, armed man with silvery white hair blowing around his angular, light tan, war-painted face. But his eyes...

Those eyes...those gleaming white eyes...Cremia gasped in realization.

"You!"

Oni remained frozen, half by her beauty and half by his fear.

"There was no Wolfos...it was you, wasn't it?"

Oni came to his senses and broke into a run. Cremia gasped and ran after him.

"No, no, wait! Wait, come back!"

Oni ran at lightning speed toward Clocktown, Cremia was no match for his speed.

The girl panted, halfway across Termina Field, in her short, silk nightgown, looking like a fool.

"Who is he?" she gasped to herself as she looked back one more time before heading back toward the ranch.

"And where do you think you're going, looking like that..?"

Cremia turned around to see who spoke, but she was thrown against a large tree before she knew it. Her eyes widened in shock as she looked into the eerily grinning face of the notorious thief of Termina.

Sakon.

"Why if it isn't little Cremia of Romani Ranch! But in this sexy little nightgown...surely you don't plan on sleeping out here in the dark, dangerous grounds of Termina Field?"

Sakon leaned in close to Cremia's neck and whispered in her ear in disgusting seduction:

"There are bad, bad men out here, you know...Very bad men.."

Cremia gasped.

"Let me go, my sister's alone, I have to-"

"You're not going anywhere.."

Sakon threw Cremia over his shoulder as he ran toward the gigantic hollow tree in the middle of Termina Field. He slammed Cremia's body onto the ground and pinned her arms above her head. His eerie smile widened in the semi-darkness as he began to kiss and bite on her neck. Cremia tried to scream for help, but Sakon placed a hand over her mouth as he lowered his body down onto hers and began to unzip his pants.

"You're mine, sweet little ranch girl."

Sakon grinned as he threw the hem of her nightgown forcefully upward, exposing her body to him. The sinister thief chuckled to himself as he lined his body up with hers.

Suddenly, a deafening bang was heard as a streak of silver light rushed by above Cremia's head. The girl scrambled to her knees and saw Sakon being crushed against the wall by a huge silver-clad arm outside the hollow tree. He was then being banged and crushed against the wall over and over until blood poured from his mouth.

"If I ever see you again, you're gone. Gone. Got it?"

"Yes, understood!" Sakon squeaked as blood poured from between his teeth. He was dropped, then he crawled pathetically away toward the Southern Swamp.

Cremia stood and began to make her way out of the hollow tree, but by the time she'd gotten out, her savior was gone.

xxxxxx


	6. Chapter 6

BOOM.

The wooden chair flew almost as high as Oni's blood pressure as he smashed the table in the room under Clock Tower to pieces.

"Oh, my dear boy..settle down and tell me what happened.."

Oni took a breath and tried to regain his sanity.

"Greatest apologies, Master," he panted as he ran his fingers through his silvery hair.

The mask salesman closed his eyes and smiled.

"There we go. Do you want to talk about it or shall it wait for later?"

Oni raised a hand. "Please, later." The demon reincarnation of a man began to clean the mess he'd made in his anger.

How dare someone touch Cremia like that? How dare he even...?

"Calm down, my boy..." called the mask salesman as Oni let out another yell of frustration.

"I'm sorry." Oni's voice shook with raw emotion.

"That's quite all right, Oni. I'd like you to run a bath for me when you're done."

"Understood, Master."

Oni finished cleaning and attempting to repair the damage he'd done, then descended the ramp of a hall down toward the bathroom that had been hastily built by the lazy carpenters of Clocktown for the little money that Oni'd scrounged after a week of having his body.

He twisted the rusty handle of the faucet and let the hot water fill the large, metal tub.

"Master, your bath.."

"Thank you, Oni. Now run along and ask my dear friend at the astronomy tower if there are any signs of paranormal activity on the moon."

"Yes, Master."

"That's my boy."

xxxx

Cremia sat upstairs, her knees up to her chin, making sure Romani didn't suspect anything was wrong. But the young girl wasn't stupid.

"Sister, what's going on?"

The older girl looked at her younger sister, trying to mask the look of unfaded fear on her face. Romani's brow furrowed.

"I told you, I'm just tired, Romani. Are your chores done?"

"Yes, they are." Romani sighed and just wondered whether this was just one of those grown-up things that she shouldn't interfere with. Or maybe Cremia was being the Stalchild she became around her time of the month. Yeah, that was probably it.

Cremia took short, shaky breaths as her little sister went downstairs to tend to the horses. She crawled over to the window to watch over Romani. She watched the gate area intently for any signs of that strange, giant man that she'd come across last night.

Romani still didn't know...nor would she ever find out, thought Cremia.

Cremia ran her hands over her body as if she were making sure her body parts were all still there. She felt so disoriented from the attack on her last night, so dirty, so worthless.

That a man could try to do something like that to her made her sick to the stomach.

Cremia jumped as she heard Romani greet someone outside. She just about flew down the steps and looked out the window to see her best friend Anju smiling down at Romani.

Joy, thought Cremia, another occurance to remind me of my crushed future.

"Come on in, Anju," forced Cremia dully as she swung her arm in welcome toward her dining room table. Anju smiled warmly as she bowed her head and took a seat at the table.

"I'll make tea."

"Thank you, Cremia. It is getting quite chilly out lately. I think the winter is approaching, the clouds look more like snow lately than rain."

"Don't be silly..it cant be already."

Cremia turned to put the kettle on the fire, her face growing hot and unwelcome tears welling up in her eyes. This was Anju, her best friend since early childhood, their friendship tainted by Anju's engagement to Cremia's lifelong crush, Kafei. Anju had known about Cremia's feelings for him, and had still gone through with this. It put a bit of a strain on Cremia's efforts to be nice and hide any sign of jealousy or betrayal.

"You're quiet, Cremia, this isn't like you. Something wrong?"

Cremia turned around halfway, wiping tears from her eyes quickly.

"No, no, I'm fine," she said quietly as she saw the rain begin to fall.

"Romani!"

Anju sighed as Cremia shakily set a mug of tea with milk in front of her. The girls sat down at the table together as Romani ran inside with the dog and shut the door, shaking their wet hair all over the place. Cremia forced herself to look at Anju with a smile.

"Why do you look so down, Anju? You're getting married soon, you should be happy!"

Anju half-shrugged as she sipped her tea carefully.

"I'm just nervous, I guess..."

Cremia nodded.

"How's Kafei feeling about it all?"

"Equally nervous, if not more."

The girls sat in silence, the only sound being Romani tutting as she poured herself a mug of tea and milk. Anju then leaned in close to Cremia, her eyes narrowed.

"Cremia," she whispered quietly. Cremia blinked. Anju made sure Romani couldn't hear.

"I'd secure the ranch a bit more, if I were you, love."

Cremia furrowed her brow. Anju continued, whispering.

"I saw the strangest creature running out of here at the speed of light on my way here.."

Cremia gasped quietly. Him..

"But...you.."

"I ran up here as fast as I could, scared breathless. Your sister said it was a Wolfos."

"It- it probably was. I'll take you home if you like, y-you don't have to go alone.."

Anju sighed and glanced toward the window. It was raining, yet again.

"I suppose you should.. in the wagon, of course..?"

"Duh, Anju," smiled Cremia, attempting to move the conversation from painful to bright.

Anju smiled back. "Well, we should get going, then, yes? I'd bring Romani along if I were you, this place is just getting too dangerous to leave children alone."

Cremia nodded. "You're right...come along, Romani."

xxxx

Oni sat with his arms around his knees inside the hollow tree in Termina Field. He often came here to think, although now his little secret spot was tainted with the attempted rape on the woman he wanted. The woman he had to have. The woman he would have...

He thought about what his Master had told him about his purpose of existence.

But was that all really true?

Was this guy taking advantage of him? Probably so, but what else could Oni do?

He was the one who'd agreed to serve the maskman if he freed him from Link's body.

He felt like he was more than just a servant. He was once more than what he was now..

Oni closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the damp wood of the hollow tree, reminiscing about his past life.

Once the son of a powerful warrior from a distant land..

Raised to be the Prince of the Battlefield..

Screaming in anguish when his mother had been raped and murdered in front of his own eyes at the tender age of twenty..

And stabbed to near-death until a mysterious melody had run through his head like a river of milk and honey, relaxing him, washing away his sorrows..

And then throwing him back into anguish the moment that wretched child in green had donned the mask that his soul had been confined to...

Oni opened his eyes. It was pouring out there...

But he saw, through the rain, the familiar wagon of Romani Ranch slowly rolling through Termina Field, toward the entrance to South Clocktown.

He jumped to his feet, gasping in searing pain as he remembered that he'd been sitting in a hollow tree trunk of no more than 5 feet in height.

Shaking his head quickly, he narrowed his eyes and peered through the rain at the young, red haired woman that had jumped out of the wagon.

But it wasn't his beloved angel.

Oni waited for the wagon to make a turn and roll back toward the ranch before helplessly persuing it, hoping to catch a glance of Cremia as she descended the wagon and went inside.

He ran through the rain after the wagon, then waited quietly behind a wooden fence as he intently watched the girl usher her sister inside before putting the mules away and heading toward the door herself.

But he tensed as her head once again snapped in his direction. He almost slipped in the muddy ground he was standing in when he heard her warn the little girl,

"Stay in here. I'll be right back."

Oni made for a run, but as the girl neared him on her creme horse, he slipped in the mud. He then regained himself as he dashed for the exit, but Cremia pulled her horse up in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. He froze again, looking up into her frightened blue eyes.

"Who are you?" she called shakily through the pouring rain.

Oni merely stood, his silvery hair becoming matted to his face as his mouth hung slightly open as he stared at the girl in awe and confusion.

"Who are you and why are you here in my ranch?!"

Oni didn't know how to respond. He merely shivered in the rain.

"I don't have time for this! My sister is inside! Now please answer?"

Oni acted on impulse. He broke into a run past Cremia and her horse, but to his misfortune, the girl had hopped off her horse and persued him. She was quicker than she looked.

"You're not leaving til I know your business here!"

Cremia threw her arms in front of the giant man.

Oni bit his lip nervously, racking his brains for words.

Cremia looked up at him. As irrelevant of a thought that it was to go through her mind at the moment, she couldn't help but notice how handsomely his features came together, despite how frightening they were. Those eyes...those glowing, haunting white eyes...

She was shaken from her thoughts as she heard the man speak in a soft, deep voice.

"I..just came to see...just..I came to make sure...the Skullkid wasn't around.."

Cremia raised an eyebrow. She fought the urge to sass, she was no match for this man if she angered him. She sighed and looked back up at him.

"Well, all right...thanks, I guess. But I haven't seen any Skullkid around here, sir."

Oni nodded nervously.

"I'll...I'll just.."

The two stood in the pouring rain, staring at each other for a moment: Cremia, her strawberry hair plastered to her face, blue eyes shining vividly against the gray atmosphere, and Oni, his silver hair also matted, his gleaming white eyes fixated hopelessly upon the woman in front of him. Oni felt his heart begin to dance violently against his ribcage.

"I..."

Oni shook his head and broke into a run. He was almost at the end of Milk Road..

"Wait!"

Oni froze, still facing the exit of Milk Road.

Cremia took a couple of unsure steps toward the tall stranger.

"C-can I at least have a name?"

Oni semi-turned toward her, his gleaming white eyes sparkling against the light tan of his face. His heart beat even more rapidly as he was once again taken by her beauty.

"Oni."

"Oni..." Cremia repeated, her eyes locking his into her own for a moment.

Oni grew more nervous as the girl took a step closer, but he couldn't face her much longer.

He felt he wouldn't be able to restrain himself from touching her if he got any closer, after watching her from afar for so long, fantasizing about running his large hand across her smooth, slightly rounded face, wrapping her arms around that soft, full waist and pulling her close to his own body...

"I'm Cremia. It's a pleasure to meet you.."

Oni nodded, his face growing hot against the cool, almost blinding rain. He clenched his fist in resistance to his desires, taking another few steps toward the exit.

"Oni?"

The demon warrior turned to see Cremia, the slightest ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Thank you."

xxxx


	7. Chapter 7

Cremia sighed in relief as she entered the house to find Romani sitting next to the fireplace, dozing off on her own knees. I have got to stop leaving her alone for so long, thought Cremia guiltily as she squeezed the water out of her hair with a clean dish towel.

What a relief it was to know that there were no Wolfos roaming around the ranch. At least now she didn't have to worry about the animals being devoured overnight.

But that man...Oni, was it? That peculiar stranger...why was he looking for Skullchildren in the ranch? Was he entirely telling the truth? Cremia shuddered at the possibilities of reasons that he could have been there if he had lied...after all, Termina _was_ filling up steadily with men of ill intention.

But she didn't feel the same vibe Sakon had given off come from that strange man.

If he'd had ill intention, he would have did what he'd wanted to do right there, in the pouring rain where no one would have been able to catch him..

But he seemed a bit shy, if anything. A bit uneasy, in a hurry to leave.

His eyes...

His eyes had looked desolate, sad, almost like a heartbroken child's..

"Sister? Where'd you go?"

Cremia jumped in surprise. Romani was standing next to her, looking sleepy and bored.

"I..I went to lock the gate.."

"Oh...okay. What's for dinner?" Romani grinned happily.

Cremia forced a smile and began to chop vegetables up into a pot of boiling water. She still felt a knot of nervous uncertainty in the pit of her stomach. What if he came back?

What would she do?

What if he really was a bad man? She shuddered, thinking about Romani.

"Why aren't you telling me to set the table? Why aren't you mean? Are you sure you're okay, Cremia?" Romani's eyes widened. "You saw the Wolfos, didn't you?"

"N-no, Romani, set the table now, okay?"

Romani hesitated, looking back at her sister inquisitively before grabbing the bowls.

"If you say so..."

xxxx

"You're late, dear boy.."

The mask salesman looked at his tall, soaking wet servant with an air of disapproval about him. The demon warrior hung in head in shame.

"I apologize, Master."

The mask salesman dismissed it with a wave of his hand.

"What did my dear astronomer say?"

Oni froze. He'd totally forgotten about that..

"I...he..um.."

"You didn't go.."

Oni flinched, preparing himself for the frightening anger of his master.

"Did you, boy..?" His tone was pure ice.

"N-no.."

A clay mask shattered as it flew across the room and smashed into a pillar.

Oni winced. Any witness would have thought it the obvious that Oni, in his size and stature, could have easily lashed back out toward the tiny man in the purple suit.

But little would they have known that his very soul lay in the hands of this maskman.

"Kneel."

Oni obeyed, kneeling down on his knees as he watched his master retrieve a thick metal rod from behind his large, ornate organ. He then stepped in front of Oni, feigning pity.

"I hate to do this.."

Whack.

Oni didn't dare bring a hand to his bleeding mouth.

"But you need to learn your priorities.."

Whack.

Oni tried his hardest not to scream out in pain as the rod made contact with his jaw.

"Do you understand the meaning of servant, my dear boy..?"

Oni merely nodded, his glowing, pupiless white eyes still fixated on the cold, stone floor.

"Good. Don't make me do this again. You know it pains me so..."

The salesman tilted Oni's bleeding face upward, inches from his own.

"Such a handsome face...pity." Oni shuddered. The mask salesman dropped Oni's face.

"Now, boy, give me a shoulder massage, if you will," he called from his bed as Oni wiped the blood from his bruised face.

The mask salesman chuckled. "Of course you will, I mean.."

xxxxx

"Romani, make sure you take a bath before bed, hun."

"I don't want to," whined Romani as she played with her dolls under the stairs.

Cremia tapped her foot impatiently.

"I let you go two days without a bath, young lady, you're lucky I'm so busy.."

"Arghh, fine!"

"Your-"

"Yes, my tone, I know, sorry sorry sorry!" Romani groaned as she abandoned her dolls and climbed the steps to the 2nd floor.

Cremia groaned inwardly as she shook her head and continued to knit the sweater she'd been working on at night before bed. Anju was right... winter was definitely around the corner. She wanted to knit at least one sweater for each of them before the bitter cold made its way into the main area of Termina.

She couldn't help glancing up at the window every few minutes though; she felt as if her mind was playing tricks on her..

"Hmph," she grunted to herself as she cut through a line of thread with her teeth. There's no one there, she reassured herself.

She felt the slightest rush of relief when she heard the water running upstairs. So Romani was actually going to take a bath, huh? Cremia grinned to herself as she put away her knitting and went upstairs to change into her nightgown.

"What a long day.."

The girl breathed as she threw her ranch work dress onto her bed and slipped into her comfortable, light nightgown. Her body sang happily in its freedom from the heavy leather and cotton of her work dress. "Whew.."

Something suddenly caught her eye to her side.

Her head snapped quickly toward the window, but there was nothing in the tree outside the house. Nor was there anything on the roof...

"Strange.."

The girl then quickly drew the curtains, without so much as an extra glance out the window.

Cremia yawned as she slipped under the covers of her bed. She stared at the ceiling for a moment, shuddering as the face of the demon warrior flooded her mind.

Cremia gasped slightly. The fear that she'd swept under the faux bravery earlier was finally getting to her. The man had been at least 6 feet tall, maybe a little more.

Those eyes..

Those eyes of his were other-worldly in their haunting white glow.

And those markings upon his skin.. what did they stand for..?

And that voice..

When he spoke, it sounded almost as if two people spoke at once...

One with a deep, powerful, demanding tone, and the other soft, passionate, and pleading..

Or maybe her mind was playing with her...but that wasn't anything new to her, lately.

Cremia sighed as she hugged a pillow tightly to her body.

"Romani..." her voice shook slightly.

"Mhm?"

"Hurry up, now, you don't want to be grouchy in the morning..."

"Yes, sister."

Cremia watched, a moment later, as her little sister walked in, already dressed in her pajamas and her hair away in two braids.

"Lock the door, Romani.."

"Yes, sister."

xxxx

"Damn.."

Oni swore under his breath as he stared up at the drawn curtain.

As terrible, as perverted, as sick and twisted...

He couldn't help but watch.

He couldn't help but sneak out when his Master fell asleep either, despite the prior punishment he'd recieved from the enraged mask salesman.

Oni sighed as he swallowed his fantasy. He'd been lost in a daydream that she was his...and only his...that he'd rush in at any moment, and they'd share a passionate kiss, and then they would slip into the bed together, hand in hand, and love the night away...

He shook the thought as he remembered the girl had an innocent young sister.

Oni looked up at the drawn curtain once more before turning toward the exit of the ranch.

"Goodnight, my beautiful angel.."

xxxx


	8. Chapter 8

Cremia woke up the next morning to find Romani's bed empty. She threw herself out of bed so fast she almost tripped on her blanket, which was tangled between her legs.

She ran down the steps calling her sister's name as she looked around. She breathed a sigh of relief as she caught sight of the little girl, sitting under the stairs doodling on spare pieces of paper. She looked up at her older sister and smiled.

"Good morning, sister!"

Cremia put a hand to her heart.

"What are you doing up so early?"

Romani grinned. "Well I heard something fall outside, but I didn't see anyone out there when I went to check. Then I-"

"You WHAT?!"

"I...why are you crying, sister?!"

Cremia couldn't stop the tears from welling up in her eyes in fear and anger.

"Romani, how many times do I have to remind you how dangerous Termina is?"

Romani's expression softened as her older sister hastily wiped her tears with her hand.

"I'm sorry, Cremia!"

"Sorry won't do you very much good when something happens to..." Cremia couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. She leaned forward toward the table, steading herself with her hands against the polished wood.

"Are you okay, sister..?"

Cremia merely nodded, her eyes closed.

"Just..go make the beds, okay?" Her voice was high and uneasy.

Romani nodded solemnly and turned to go upstairs. Had she hurt Cremia somehow?

Cremia brought her fist down on the table in frustration. She felt as if no matter what she did to keep Romani safe, it would fail miserably. Cremia shook the horrifying thought away.

Oh, how she would never forgive herself if something happened to her..

Cremia closed her eyes for a moment before shakily reaching for a piece of paper and a pen.

xxxxx

"No, my boy, it has looked pretty much normal lately..." sighed the astronomer as he looked up into Oni's relieved face. "Nothing unusual..."

"Thank you, sir."

"Anytime, boy. Say hello to my dear mask salesman for me.."

"I...I will."

Oni waved goodbye as he jumped over the fence of the astronomy tower and out the front door, which led into Termina Field. He ran, dreadingly, toward South Clocktown, and made his way into his home under the Clock Tower.

He found his Master sitting at his organ, playing a haunting yet soothing melody.

"Master.."

The mask salesman turned around, grinning smugly toward Oni.

"The news?"

"Clear as water, Master. Nothing unusual, he says."

"Ah. Lovely."

The mask salesman resumed his organ-playing without another word to Oni.

The demon warrior sighed, taking a seat on the steps up to the door. So this was his life. Running around serving a person that he could very easily crush at the raise of his hand.

If only the mask salesman didn't have complete control over whether Oni was confined to a mask for eternity. If only he had free will..

He could rush over to Romani Ranch and ask for that angel's hand in marriage.

Hey, it was worth a try, even though she'd most likely turn him down, being the monster of a man he was. What decent, beautiful girl would be interested in the likes of him, anyway?

But his Master had basically forbidden him from persuing her..

There were times were Oni would look upon the beautiful face of Cremia as she lay down to sleep, and he'd feel as if it would be worth being confined to a mask after disobeying his Master.

But it wasn't as if he could walk up to her like that, anyway.

He was incredibly afraid of her..

Afraid of the woman he wanted.

He was afraid to stand in front of her. He didn't want to scare her away..

That would devastate Oni, it would.

But she'd stood right in front of him, her brows furrowed and her eyes shining with determination to protect her loved ones..

She didn't seem like she feared anything at the moment.

But Oni still felt like a monster when he looked upon the petite beauty.

"My dear boy.."

Oni looked up from the floor. "Master?"

"Go on and bring me something to eat, please?"

"Yes, Master."

xxxxx

Cremia couldn't stop the tears from flowing as she handed the envelope to the postman, who'd just arrived at the ranch.

"Thank you!" The hurried man squeaked as he made his way back out toward the exit.

Cremia's hands went up to her face as she shook with stifled sobs as she watched him run away. She couldn't believe what she'd just done, but it was for the best..

"Sister? What's wrong? Why are you so upset?"

Romani ran over to her older sister and hugged her around the waist.

"I'll get my bow and shoot it when it comes back, okay? I wont let it hurt you!"

Cremia wiped her tears and looked at her little sister.

She wouldn't tell her until they arrived..

If they even arrived at all..

"Don't worry, Romani, it ran away.."

Romani smiled reassuringly at her older sister.

"Okay. Just don't cry anymore, okay? I wont ever let it hurt us."

Cremia smiled and embraced her sister.

"Just stay inside, okay? No more going outside without me."

xxxxx

Four days had passed. Cremia had kept the curtains drawn day and night, feeling unsure about their safety. She'd made doubletakes toward the gate of the ranch, almost a hundred percent sure she'd seen the silver silk of his...

Don't think about it, she told herself as she felt an involuntary shudder spread throughout her body. Just keep Romani inside until they get here..

The two sisters sat at the dinner table that night. Romani barely spoke, feeling the uneasiness between herself and her older sister. What was going on?

She looked at her older sister's plate. The food was untouched.

"Cremia?"

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Upstairs, Romani, now!"

Cremia slowly peered out the window from behind the thick red curtain as Romani flew up the steps. But she peered over the edge of the staircase to see what was going on..

"Come in.." said Cremia's voice feebly to the strangers she'd opened the door for.

Romani couldn't see them, but she could hear everything.

"Oh, no, my dear girl, we ought to get going, we should arrive at the border of Queensley at dawn if we don't stop. You know how dangerous Termina is, we should leave while there's less of a chance of them seeing us."

Leave? What? What was going on? Romani's brow furrowed.

"No, no, stay overnight, it's dangerous-"

Cremia was interrupted by an older female voice.

"We really should get going...after all, you seemed very urgent in your letter to us.."

"I guess you're right...the sooner the better.."

Romani moved closer to the staircase for a better look.

She looked down at the people that were standing in the doorway of the little house. They were a couple, a man and a woman, both of them in their fifties. They wore raincoats and held umbrellas, well, it was pouring outside. The man was tall and thin, with a curly brown mustache and shoulder length hair, and the woman was short and petite, with greying blonde hair and glasses on her pointed nose.

They were Anju's great-uncle and his wife. Cremia and Romani had stayed with them for about a month after their parents died, and they were the closest thing to decent relatives they had. They lived in a far away country called Queensley, a generally safe and cozy place to live. And Cremia had thought it best for Romani...

The girl fought the lump in her throat as she turned toward the staircase.

"Romani...pack your things.."

"What? Where...why-"

"Please, just do it. I'll explain in a little bit."

Romani obliged, feeling numb. Where was she going and why?

She packed her dresses, shoes, books, and dolls into her bag and descended the steps nervously. She bowed in respect toward the older people, but then looked at her sister.

"Romani, as you know, Termina is getting very dangerous, especially for girls like you that like to run around everywhere. You scared the life out of me last week when you ran outside after you heard something fall. Anything could have happened..."

Cremia cleared her throat, feeling the tears well up again.

"So you're to stay with Mr. and Mrs. Krender and their daughters. At least until things get better here in Termina."

Romani frowned. "But aren't you coming if it's so dangerous, sister?"

Cremia sighed and closed her eyes for a moment.

"Romani, you know the animals need me. And Termina would fall apart without this ranch."

Romani looked down at the floor, and then at the couple standing by the door. They smiled at her fondly. They weren't bad people at all, but Romani would miss Cremia terribly.

And Cremia would miss Romani just as much.

"Well, we'd better get going then. Pleasure seeing you again, my dear girl," the man bowed to Cremia, "and don't worry, Romani is in good hands, I assure you."

Cremia nodded solemnly. "I know. I can't thank you enough for this."

"Anytime, my sweet." The couple hugged Cremia warmly.

Romani's tears slid down her cheeks as she embraced her sister tightly. Cremia began to weep as she returned the embrace even more tightly.

"Be good, okay, Romani? I love you."

"I love you too, Cremia."

"My dears, the rain is pouring, we best get going before it gets worse!"

"Go on, Romani," Cremia kissed her sister's forehead before ushering her out the door.

The older girl waved as their large, brown wagon rolled away, out of the ranch.

After she'd shut the door, she stood in the middle of the dining room, not knowing what to do. She'd never been alone before. And the fear of being alone finally caught up with her as she glanced toward the window. She shakily drew the curtain before putting out the lights and heading upstairs to sleep.

She changed into her nightgown and slipped into her bed.

And then the tears came again.

Cremia held her pillow tightly to her body, sobbing herself to sleep as the thunder rumbled heavily outside.

xxxxx


	9. Chapter 9

Cremia woke up to a rather vicious clap of thunder the next morning. She glanced toward Romani's empty bed with a pang to her heart.

"Better get started, then.."

The girl felt uneasy as she pulled on her blue raincoat. She was more than relieved that Romani was going to be safe, but she was still worried about herself.

She wondered whether she should call her uncles over to make sure no harm came to her, but she doubted they would care or even pay attention if anything (or anyone..) made its way into the ranch. Cremia sighed as she walked toward the barn. It was chilly out today.

She looked into the sky. Those clouds sure did look like snow clouds..but it just seemed too early for winter to be starting.. but who knew what would happen? Termina was quite an unpredictable place.

Guess I'll just have to fend for myself if anything happens, the girl thought as she opened the barn. She smiled as she saw the three cows and two horses happily munching on the leftovers of yesterday's meal.

"Good morning to you too," she laughed as her creme horse nuzzled her neck as she fed her.

After she finished feeding and tending to the animals, she began to clean up around the ranch, fixing things and making sure all the gear was working properly.

Her brown boots splashed in the puddles as she pulled the wet hay into cubes. Shivering, she ran inside to grab a coat.

"How did it get so cold so fast?" Cremia wondered aloud as she pulled her expensive white Wolfos-fur coat and pulled it over her body. It had been a gift for her 16th birthday..

A gift from him...

Cremia sighed as she fought the lump in her throat.

Why did he have to get engaged? Why did.._she_..steal him from her, even though she knew how they felt about each other?

Guess it's my fault for not making a move, thought Cremia sadly as she stepped back outside.

"Might as well keep myself occupied.." Cremia continued her work, but made sure she stayed fairly close to the pitchfork that she'd leaned up against the wall of her house.

xxxxx

"Oni.."

"Yes, Master?"

The mask salesman lifted his ginger haired head.

"You've been going to see the ranch girl, haven't you...?"

Oni froze. "I...I..."

"What did I tell you..?" His voice was dangerously quiet as he looked up into Oni's face.

Oni was quiet. He began to shiver nervously.

"Please don't put me back in the mask." He whispered fearfully.

The mask salesman began to tsk.

"I feel that it is best for you to be confined to a mask, if you cannot simply follow the orders of your Master, the one that gave you your body back.."

Oni began to respond, but the maskman held up a hand.

"I'm terribly sorry about this, Oni."

"No!"

Before Oni knew it, he'd raced out the door, hearing a faint "Get back here!" before making his way out of South Clocktown.

He knew the maskman couldn't leave the room beneath the Clock Tower or his magic wouldn't be available. And he needed Oni there to use magic upon him, didn't he?

Oni ran toward Ikana Canyon. He just wanted to be alone. He was sick and tired of the maskman's sadistic rule over him. Yes, he'd given him his body, but it wasn't worth the torture he put him through.

He ran and ran, jumping the fences with ease, until he reached the small field and running river of the slightly eerie Ikana Canyon. It was cold; the grass was frosted here too.

Oni stepped onto the old, creaking wood of the small dock over the semi-frozen river, but quickly jumped back onto the grass when he heard one of the logs snap under him. Figures..

I'll just go up to Ikana Village and see what's going on up there, you know, since my master never let me do anything like that, thought Oni resentfully as he jumped up and grabbed the edge of the cliff that led into the one-house village.

It was empty, he noticed, as he climbed up and steadied himself on the cracking dirt of the floor. He walked around, feeling a sense of 'I shouldn't be here right now' as he came close to the colorful little house in the middle of the desolate clifftop.

Suddenly, he heard a shrill scream. He jumped, looking around.

"Papa, go inside! It's another one of those monsters!"

It was then pure common sense for Oni to dash back toward where he came from, taking a leap over the cliff and landing swiftly on his feet in the grass of Ikana Canyon.

"That went well.." he breathed as he blew his hair out of his face.

"By the glow of my wings.. is that who I think it is..?"

Oni turned his head from where the voice came from.

A small, yellow fairy, accompanied by a small purple one, had soared over to where the demon warrior was sitting. The yellow one, supposedly a female by the sound of her giggle, hovered over his head. The purple one kept its distance.

"Well if it isn't Link, playing around with his masks. I thought you got rid of them..?"

Oni's face went red. He chose not to reply. He wasn't Link, nor did he ever want to be Link.

"Um HELLO, I'm talking to you!" She flew up in his face, her bells tinkling.

"It's me, Tatl, and my brother, Tael, don't you remember? Or did that dumb Skullkid hit you so hard you lost your memory?" The fairy flew closer.

"Go away." Oni grumbled, gently (for him, anyway) swaying the fairy away with his hand.

"Ouch! Wow, what a gentleman! How dare you hit a lady like that?!"

Oni exhaled forcefully in frustration, trying to control his bad temper. If there was one thing about him he knew would scare people away, it was his temper.

He was generally a very nice man, but he wasn't himself when he was angry.

It was the warrior blood in him, it was what made him a master of battle.

He jumped up and began to walk back toward Termina Field. He didn't want two dead fairies on his conscience today.

"Where is he-where are you GOING?!" Tatl squeaked, following Oni out of Ikana Canyon.

"Hurry up, Tael!" The purple fairy reluctantly followed.

"What do you WANT?" Oni growled at the yellow fairy, who was unfazed by him.

"I want to know why you're ignoring me! I only helped you through your whole quest!"

"I'm not Link!" He growled more fiercely into the fairy's face. She was still unfazed.

"Oh, you're not Link, haha, good one, now seriously stop fucking with me and tell me why you're wearing your Fierce Diety mask. Is there trouble or something?"

"Look, I'm not Link, I'm Oni. I don't feel like explaining my situation to you so just take your little friend and fly away. I'm not having a good day. Please, go away."

"Oni? Are you on Magic Beans? You're obviously Link. I think someone cast a memory loss spell upon you or something! Hey, wait up!" Tatl yelled as Oni jumped the fences and made his way into Termina Field, breaking into a run upon reaching the frosted grass.

"Hey, I'm freezing my wings off and so is my brother, so will you please at least fill me in a little bit about what's going on before I go insane in my confusion?!"

The yellow fairy made crazy circles in front of Oni until he was forced to stop.

"Leave me alone!" he roared.

For the first time since they met, he'd frightened the yellow fairy. Her wings had dropped slightly, and she hid behind her purple brother.

"I...I'm sorry, I.."

"It's alright, we're leaving. You can play your little game alone."

"Wait.." Oni sighed.

The fairies stopped half-flight, turning back toward Oni.

Before he knew it, he was sitting in the hollow log, telling the two fairies everything from A to Z, from the day he was stabbed to near death, to being confined to the mask during Link's quest, to his servitude to the maskman, to the reason he ran away today.

"So...you're not Link, after all.."

Oni shook his head. "Absolutely not."

"I see. So you have a little thing for the older ranch girl.."

Oni nodded. Tatl scoffed. "Good luck. Looking like that, you'll just make her pee herself."

Oni sighed. "I know I have no chance with her, but I just can't stay away."

Tatl giggled. "Well, if I were you, I'd try to, buddy. Come on, Tael."

The purple fairy, who'd been silent since the beginning, followed his sister out of the log.

"Oh..Oni.."

Oni looked up at the female fairy.

"Hey, um..if you need us, we hang out at the Southern Swamp.."

Oni nodded. "Thank you."

As the fairies flew away, Oni shivered as he realized how cold it was. Although he wore thick metal armor over a silk tunic and cotton undergarments, he still felt the cold creep in and encase his body. He didn't have much fat to rely on either.

His stomach tightened as he imagined his beautiful Cremia right now, probably warm and comfortable inside her house, drinking hot chocolate and laughing with her sister..

xxxxxx

Cremia shivered as she pulled the stray Deku Baba plants from the ground near her crops. They'd been spreading lately, chomping and destroying the vegetation around the ranch.

"Ouch!"

Looking down at her bleeding index finger, she knew she'd made a dumb choice doing this bare-handed. And she groaned as she spotted dirt on her expensive fur coat.

"That makes two stupid choices, Cremia," she groaned to herself as she called it a day and headed back toward the house.

The wind was picking up. The sky and the atmosphere were bleak and gray, the definite beginnings of a Terminian winter. Cremia had just about grabbed the doorknob when she saw her dog Lula run toward the gate, barking manically.

"Seriously?" Cremia groaned again as she headed toward the gate. She flinched as she felt something cold and flaky land on her cheek.

Snow!

"Lula!" Cremia called impatiently as she exhaustedly ran after the scruffy animal, who was still barking and the gate. But before Cremia was even halfway there, Lula dug herself a hole under the gate and escaped into the snowy Milk Road.

"No! Argh, Lula! Come back, girl!"

Cremia felt around in her pocket, and was glad to find the knife she'd been using to help cut the Deku Baba out of the ground. At least she was armed this time.

She opened the gate, but by the time she was on Milk Road, she was greeted with a sight that made her gasp and almost drop the knife she'd pulled out.

Lula had run right back at Cremia, barking in warning, but it was too late when she was surrounded by large White Wolfos. Of course they'd come out in the cold, Cremia thought fearfully as she tightened the grip on her knife.

"Uncles Gorman! Help me!" She squeaked into the bitter cold, hoping they'd at least come.

She trembled terribly as the large, vicious Wolfos closed in on her.

"Good Wolfos, calm down, I need to get back to the ranch," Why was she even talking?

She lifted the knife to the closest Wolfos, looking it straight in the eye.

There was no way she was going to let these things get to the animals.

"Back off!" she barked at them, startling them a bit. The first Wolfos' ears dropped.

"Yeah, that's right! Off with ya!" Cremia waved the knife threateningly.

The Wolfos whined and started to trot back toward where they came from, except for one very large one that just stared at her unmovingly.

"Well? Aren't you gonna follow your friends? Hmm?"

Cremia waved the knife, but she didn't dare come close to the leader of the pack.

"Off with ya! Shoo! Uncles Gorman! If you can hear me, please-"

She was stopped mid-sentence when the Wolfos pounced onto her, slamming her back and head against the cold ground, which had accumulated a thin layer of snow.

Cremia groaned in pain as she felt the impact of the ground, but didn't have time to think when the Wolfos began to sniff her coat. He whined, but then growled menacingly, baring the full amount of his sharp, off-white teeth. His white eyes bore into hers...

But then she saw another pair of white eyes flying toward her from above her head, accompanied by a shriek of rage. From what Cremia could see through the now-steady snowfall, two Wolfos were fighting on the ground, rolling in the snow, fighting to the death.

Suddenly, a thump was heard against the rock wall of Milk Road, followed by a series of whimpers and whines as one of the Wolfos limped out of Milk Road and into Termina Field.

Cremia shook her head as she sat up. She rubbed her eyes to see what had happened..

And there he stood, panting and staring at the ground.

His silvery-white hair fluttered in the wind like a sparkling, tattered flag of war over his gleaming white eyes, so bright they made the snow look grey.

"You're...You.."

Cremia gasped quietly as his gaze locked into hers.

"You saved me."

xxxxx


	10. Chapter 10

Oni stood, still staring at Cremia, who'd pulled herself up to a standing position. From what he could see, her elbows were bruised and scraped from the attack.

"I'll help you back into the ranch," he said quietly, but clearly, through the falling snow.

Cremia looked at him inquisitively, but, to Oni's surprise, extended a hand toward him.

Oni hesitated before finally reaching over and wrapping his large, gauntleted hand around her cold fingers. Suddenly, he felt as hot on the inside as someone could feel in the snow.

He froze, his nerves dancing wildly in his body. He felt like he was shutting down.

"Oni?"

Oni remained still for a moment before taking a deep breath and looking at Cremia.

"I really h-have to get back to the ranch.. we'd better hurry.."

Oni could tell from the look in Cremia's wide blue eyes that she was feigning some sort of bravery. He could see the cold fear in her soul just by looking at her.

"Y-you needn't be afraid of m-me," Oni said quietly, his teeth chattering.

He noticed that the beautiful girl's cheeks and nose were getting pink.

"Let me help you."

Oni ever so lightly tightened his grip on Cremia's hand and led her toward the ranch. They walked down Milk Road in silence, until they reached the gate.

"Oni.."

Oni looked down into Cremia's face, which seemed twisted with pain.

"My back...I can't seem to walk without intense pain."

Oni exhaled, tensing up. He bit his lip slightly hard, involuntarily squeezing Cremia's hand as his muscles tightened in anxiety. Surely he could control his desire..

"Oni?"

"I'll carry you."

Oni inwardly begged his self-control to be strong as he slid an arm around Cremia's waist and another under her legs as he lifted her to his chest.

The little dog barked, wagging her tail and followed the giant man into the ranch.

The snow had now completely covered the ground, not leaving so much as a hint of green grass peeking out of the ice. Oni winced against the prickling needles of snowflakes as the wind picked up. He lowered his face over Cremia's to protect her from the cold.

And his heart began to race wildly.

Gritting his teeth, he upped his walk into a slow run, as fast as he could go in the snowstorm.

She smelled so good, like the expensive soaps sold in West Clocktown. Her hair was thick and soft, brushing against his skin as he ran. Her breath was so sweet..

And as he almost tripped over a rock, her soft lips grazed his jawline as she jumped.

Oni bit his lip harder and exhaled from his nose as they reached Cremia's house. Oni reluctantly set Cremia down on the snowy ground so that she could unlock the door.

She seemed to be having a bit of difficulty standing straight for periods of time. Oni offered a hand, and Cremia handed him the key.

"Thank you so much. I owe you bigtime one day." said Cremia as Oni swung the door open for her. He watched as she assisted herself walk with the tables and chairs before she sat down in her dining room. She looked up at him, a hint of a smile of her face.

"Well..thank you again, Oni."

xx

Cremia sighed as she watched Oni turn to leave. But why was she sending him away?

She needed all the help she could get. Maybe she should send him to town to call for a nurse?

But what if he was busy?

Would she really make a nurse come all the way up here through a snowstorm?

And why would she send someone that just saved her life away into the cold, even though he was a physically intimidating character..? Where were her manners?

"Oni, wait!"

The giant silver man turned around, looking solemn.

Cremia cleared her throat.

"M-maybe you should come in for a bit of tea. It's quite cold outside."

xx

Oni took off his hat and shoes, the proper manners of entering someone's house, taught to him by the maskman before he'd gone to see the Deku King to run an errand.

He took a seat by the cackling fire, which Cremia had managed to kindle herself, despite her aching back. Oni watched her bustle around over the fire with a kettle of water.

He couldn't believe he was in the same room as the one he wanted, her and himself alone..

He didn't waste a moment of her beauty, watching everything she did intently.

When she finally sat down with two mugs of tea with milk, she clasped her hands in front of her, staring straight at Oni with an inquisitive look on her face.

"So Oni.."

Oni blinked, looking at the girl in front of him, nervous as ever.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry I haven't introduced myself properly. My name is Cremia."

"Nice to meet you.." Oni said softly, taking in the sight of her eyes.

It might have been his imagination, but he thought he saw the hint of a blush on her cheeks.

"Tell me this, Oni.." started Cremia as she dipped a cookie in her milk tea.

"Why are you really here?" She looked up at him intently, waiting on his answer.

Oni averted his gaze. What, was he going to admit that he stalked her?

"I.."

"You.." Cremia raised an eyebrow, but there was still that hint of a smile.

Oni sighed, looking straight into Cremia's eyes.

"I have to go.."

Oni stood to leave, but Cremia swiftly caught his arm as he made for the door.

"No you don't!"

The girl winced slightly at moving so quickly while injured, but her gaze remained intent, locked into his own white eyes.

"You're going to tell me why you're always here."

Oni was overcome by a rush of pity toward her when he finally heard the fear in her voice.

He sat back down as Cremia took her seat as well.

Oni fixed his eyes onto his mug as he took a breath and spoke softly.

"I've been watching you.."

Cremia's eyes widened. "Watching me...you mean.."

"Nearly every day and night for weeks.." Was he really telling her this?

"But..why?" The girl's voice shook with fear and uncertainty.

Oni flinced at the sound of her voice. Why did he even start? Surely she'd kick him out not too long from now because of how big of a creep he was..

"Because...you're just.."

Oni forced himself to stay fixated on the mug in front of him. But he couldn't help looking up at her after a moment. Her beautiful strawberry-red hair shone in the firelight, those eyes were twinkling in a mixture of fear and curiosity..her lips were pursed in anticipation for an answer...her labor-calloused yet still delicate hands still clasped..

"So beautiful.." he breathed, feeling his face grow hot as he averted his gaze.

Cremia gasped quietly. The two just sat there, the only sounds in the room for a long moment were the crackling of the fire and Lula playing with her dog toys.

"I...I don't know what to say."

"I'm sorry if I scared you."

Another moment of silence between them passed..

Until Cremia reassuringly laid her small hand on top of Oni's large one.

"I forgive you."

Oni shivered at her touch. She was smiling at him.

As nervous as he was, he smiled back.

Then, there was a loud knock on the door.

"Hide, hide!" Cremia whispered.

Oni saw nowhere to go but upstairs. The floor creaked under him as he climbed the steps, almost hitting his head on the ceiling.

"Cremia, open the damned door already!"

"I'm coming!"

Cremia opened the door to her Uncles Gorman and Gorman. Their thick brown mustaches were full of snow. Gorman #1 tried to shake it out of his face.

"We heard ya screaming, but see, we were busy, love." said Gorman #2.

"Yeah, what happened?" asked Gorman #1.

Cremia rolled her eyes.

"Well, you're a little late, Uncles, I was attacked by Wolfos!"

The two Uncles burst into laughter.

"Wolfos, you say? Here, on this side of the land? You're crazy, darlin'!"

"Fine! Don't believe me!"

The two Gormans laughed their way out of the ranch, leaving Cremia fuming at the door.

"Some family I have...hmph."

The girl shut the door and sighed.

"You can come down, Oni."

Oni jumped down the flight of steps and into the dining room in one leap.

Cremia seemed slightly intimidated, but looked up into his eyes nonetheless.

"Sorry about that. Ooh, my uncles are going to be sorry when something actually happens to me and it's too late. Actually, no, I don't think they'd care.."

Oni wanted to tell her that he wouldn't dare let anything happen to her as long as he could help it, but he didn't want to scare the poor girl any more than he probably already had.

"Anyway.." said Cremia, smiling slightly, taking her seat by the fire.

"Come, sit down."

Oni obeyed, nervously taking his seat next to the beautiful girl.

"I'm flattered by your compliment, Oni.. but why didn't you just approach me?"

Isn't it obvious, thought Oni as he compared the size of his hand next to hers.

"Did you think you'd scare me or something? I'm not afraid."

The girl must've thought she disguised her fear rather well, but Oni was keen.

"Yeah.."

"Well..I'm not..so.."

Another moment of silence.

"I should call over a nurse for you." Oni said quietly.

Cremia seemed slightly taken aback by this.

"Um..yeah, that's a good idea, thank you so much.."

Oni then began to pull on his boots, then grabbed his hat and turned the doorknob.

"Hey, Oni?" called Cremia softly.

"Mhm?" Oni couldn't help but stare at her as she carressed his name in her musical voice.

Cremia fidgeted with the hem of her apron.

"You should come over for dinner tomorrow.."

Oni's heart fluttered. Dinner with Cremia?

"O-Of course."

"See you then.." said Cremia nervously, wondering what she'd cook.

"S-see you.."

As Oni opened the door, Cremia pulled a large, silver fur coat from a hanger near the wall.

"This was my father's...he was quite a tall man, but you'll have to try it on."

Oni reluctantly took the coat from Cremia, glancing over into her blue eyes.

"It's quite cold out...I wouldn't send you back out there without a coat."

Oni shook his head. "You don't have to-"

"Try it on.."

Oni obliged. It just barely fit over his broad shoulders, but it covered enough.

"Thank you, Cremia." Oni felt his body grow hot as she smiled warmly at him. He got down on his knees for a moment to tighten the hem of his boots. It wouldn't be very fun to get snow in his boots, now would it..

But he was taken by surprise as Cremia wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace.

"Thank you so much."

Oni stuttered his response, his cheeks growing pink under the glow of his white eyes.

"Y-you're welcome.."

Cremia let go of him and smiled as she watched him stand back up.

"See you tomorrow, then."

"See you."

xxxxxx


	11. Chapter 11

Oni shivered as he walked toward Great Bay, but something in him still felt warm from Cremia's hug. How lucky had he gotten? If only he'd just approached her from the start..

Nonsense, he thought as he jumped over the fences leading toward the beach. He definitely wasn't going back home anytime soon. At least not until he decided he wanted to be confined to a mask for eternity, that is.

He'd already sent a nurse from West Clocktown over to Romani Ranch.. but knew he wouldn't dare even look toward South Clocktown..

He really didn't know why he was at the snowy, frozen beach, but where else would he go?

He saw an ornate entrance to what seemed like a cave on his left side. The faint glow of a welcoming fire danced on the snow in front of it. Might as well go check it out..

Oni stepped closer to the cave, hoping it was empty, or at least if it wasn't empty that the resident wouldn't mind his company for a little while.

"Hello?" Oni called into the cave softly.

"Who's there?" called a slightly defensive male voice.

Oni cleared his throat. "Just a half-frozen stranger. May I come in?"

"Are you that wretched Skullkid?"

"No...my name is Oni."

A slight man in a green sweater and blue pants peeked out of the cave and into Oni's face.

"Oh, my. Do come in."

Oni was slightly taken aback by the man's easy welcome; he'd expected a scream and a 'go away'. But, pleasantly surprised, he entered the cave-like place.

"What are you doing wandering around the beach in this cold?"

The short, slim man ran his fingers through his shaggy, bright orange hair as he added more wood to the fire he'd been kindling. He bore the slightest resemblance to the maskman, which made Oni shudder. The man noticed.

"Here, come closer to the fire. There we go, now."

He poured Oni what smelled like hot soup from a container and handed him the bowl.

"My name's Julian, by the way," said the man as he poured himself some soup.

"I'm Oni."

"Yeah, I know. So let me guess, your girlfriend kicked you out because you were too much of a freak of nature for her to deal with."

Oni's brow furrowed.

"No-"

"Or was your mother drinking Like-Like urine while she was pregnant with you, resulting in your mutant appearance, making everyone think you're a freak and exiling you from society?"

Oni sighed. This was frustrating.

"No.."

"Or was your-"

"I ran away from home, and I have nowhere else to go. That's all."

"Oh.." the man nodded in false understanding.

"Well, I've always been an outsider. A freak, if you will. My girlfriend, well, ex girlfriend, kicked me out a few years ago because she'd found my spider collection."

"Spider collection, eh?" Oni leaned in to listen to Julian's story.

"Yeah," said Julian as he set down his empty bowl. "She didn't give a damn when my brothers were turned into spiders, either. She even went as far as to say it was my fault."

Oni nodded. Julian motioned toward another door behind him.

"Behind that door is my mansion. My brothers and I built it a couple of years ago, with the help of some Zora carpenters and a very handy Goron team. Very nice place, yet freezing cold. I was working on lighting the torches inside so I could move back in and sleep in my room, but there's a giant boulder that fell through and blocked the entrance to the main part of the building."

Julian then eyed Oni's muscular arms.

"Hey...hey, you could definitely move it with those strong arms!"

Oni smiled. He nodded at Julian, and the two of them got up and walked toward the door.

"Here, let me open it. Watch your head!"

Oni had to crouch to enter the door. He gasped in amazement at the room he was in.

The tapestries on the walls seemed to be carved in pure gold. The rug way below was deep red, and the halls that surrounded the edges of the room in series of 3 or 4 floors were also lined with gold. A chandelier sparkled above their heads.

"Welcome to Casa De La Julian." The small man smiled smugly.

"It's amazing."

"This is just the beginning. The bedrooms are inside behind that boulder."

Julian pointed at the huge boulder that blocked an ornate entryway.

Oni flexed his fingers and walked over to where the boulder was. With a groan and a powerful push, the boulder had rolled over to a corner and split in two.

"WOW! You're so strong! I wish I was that strong. So did my ex." Julian frowned.

Oni rolled his eyes. This guy and his ex..

"Thank you so much, Oni! Wow, now I can light the torches. Hey," Julian added as he looked up at Oni, who was blowing the dust off his gauntlets.

"Maybe you can stay with me!"

Oni pondered it for a bit. Why not? It wasn't like he was going back to South Clocktown any time soon. He looked down at Julian and nodded.

"Sure. Thank you for your hospitality. Here, let me help you with that."

Oni took a flaming Deku Stick that Julian had clumsily lit. He then went through the dark, cold rooms, lighting the many torches and chandeliers until the cave-manor shone and sparkled in the firelight. Julian smiled as he looked around, enjoying the new warmth.

"I don't remember the last time my home looked so beautiful."

He smiled up at Oni warmly.

"You're amazing, bro. Thanks."

"You're very welcome."

"Here, let me show you to a room."

The men walked through the house. Oni was listening to Julian go on with his life story.

"Anyway, yeah, my brothers eventually moved out of here because it held bad memories for them. Of being turned into spiders, I mean," said Julian as they walked past an elaborate kitchen and two large bathrooms. "So it's just me and my servants."

"Servants?"

"Oh, don't be afraid when you see them," chuckled Julian.

"Are they here?"

"Yes, they are. Oh, Stalia!"

Oni's pupiless white eyes widened as a Stalfos in an apron appeared in front of them and curtsied toward Oni.

"Pleasure meeting you."

How unusual.

"Likewise.." said Oni to the skeleton chambermaid.

Julian grinned. "Darling, isn't she?"

After a few more steps, Julian stopped.

They were standing in front of a gold-lined white door.

"Here we are. One of the old rooms of my brother. It's yours now, as long as you like."

Oni entered after Julian opened the door. It was a fairly large room, about as large as the entire room under Clock Tower. A large, vacant bed with a red-and-gold comforter set and elaborately decorative pillows sat against the center wall of the room, with two dark red suede sofas on either side. A large, antique looking dresser and mirror sat against the opposite wall. The dark gray Wolfos-coat rug, head and all, lay in the middle of the room.

An unlit fireplace was built into the right wall of the room.

"Not much, but enough, right? Just make sure you check the bed for spiders," Julian said, a little bit too happily for Oni's comfort.

"Thank you very much, Julian."

Julian nodded. "My pleasure. If you need anything, just ring the bell on the dresser."

Oni nodded in thanks before Julian left the room.

The demon warrior wasn't used to this kind of treatment. In his past life, he'd lived in luxury as a young boy, but from his teens up he'd spent the remainder of his young life on the battlefield with his father. It'd been forever..

Oni lit the fireplace, then carefully climbed the old, creaking bed and closed his eyes as his head sank into the soft, lush pillow. He watched as a spider danced away from his silver hair.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd used a pillow. Or a bed. Or anything like this.

But he knew he couldn't stay here forever. He'd come when he absolutely had to.

He refused to be a burden on this young man and his servants.

He wasn't that kind of a person.

As he opened his eyes, he noticed a large, oval-shaped window in the ceiling. Although it was mostly covered in snow, he noticed that the sun was setting.

And then he remembered...

He was invited over to have dinner with Cremia tomorrow night.

What would he wear? He owned nothing.

Did it matter? She didn't seem to mind his frightening appearance, so why would what he wore matter at all? As long as he wore something, right?

Oni was exhausted. He couldn't help but fall asleep soon after the sun set.

xxxx

Cremia sighed as she washed the dishes of her dinner. She couldn't help thinking about Oni, even though the thought of him sent shivers down her spine.

Part of her felt like if she let down her guard too much, he'd take advantage. Just like any other red-blooded male.

If his blood was even red...

But part of her felt something different about that man...

He told her she was beautiful...

And that he'd watched her...

She shivered again. She didn't know whether it was very smart of her to be alone with him.

"Here, let me do that."

"No, it's alright, I'm able to do it."

The older nurse looked inquisitively at Cremia with her large violet eyes. The ranch girl was paying her quite well, but for what, to have her sit down while the injured girl did all the work?

"Are you sure, dear?"

"Positive."

The nurse, whose name was Maila, stood and gently placed a hand on Cremia's shoulder.

"Do you think you'll be all right tonight my dear?"

Cremia nodded. After a hot bath and some red potion, she felt alot better, although if she stood too long, she felt the pain in her lower back.

"Alright then. I'm going to go to my grandson's for the night. Send a letter if you need me.."

Cremia waved as the old woman pulled her coat on and left the house.

She watched from the window as the nurse's large red wagon rolled away into the snow.

"What a day.."

Cremia climbed the steps slowly and entered her room. She tried not to look in the direction of Romani's vacant bed as she removed her clothes. She ran another hot bath and climbed carefully into the tub. She closed her eyes as she soaked the day away.

xxxxx


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, Cremia was pleasantly surprised to find, that after the half a bottle of red potion she drank before she went to bed, she felt almost completely healed.

But it didn't make her any less nervous as she flew out of bed to prepare the house for the visitor that would be coming in mere hours. She swept the entire hard floor of the house, scrubbed, dusted, mopped, washed, and obsessively fixed things here and there until the house was so clean that even Anju's mother wouldn't find anything bad to say.

Even though Anju's mother didn't particularly care for Cremia..

The girl then looked out the window to check the weather.

The ranch sparkled with white snow, but she saw the sun peeking slightly from behind the clouds, sending bright yellow rays onto the ground.

She saw a figure suddenly running toward the house. Her heart skipped a beat, but then she realized it was just the postman with a letter.

"Here you go. Thank you!" He ran off after Cremia had opened the door and taken it.

She opened it. It was from the nurse, Maila.

_Dearest Cremia, _

_I'm sorry I won't be able to make it to the ranch today. My husband has fallen ill._

_If you need another nurse, my daughter-in-law will be more than happy to help you._

_Sincerely, Maila._

Cremia put the letter on the table. Thankfully, she didn't need a nurse today.

But poor Maila. Cremia made a note to visit the woman's husband soon.

After a moment of pondering on what ingredients she had, Cremia decided she'd fire-roast a Cuccoo and maybe make some rice and vegetables, too.

She got to work, pulling on her coat and walking toward the barn to grab a Cuccoo.

After she'd gone inside, she plucked and beheaded the creature before washing, degutting, and seasoning it. She then stuffed it with seasoned bits of bread and put it aside.

It was only noon, so she took her time peeling and dicing vegetables while singing to herself.

By the time it was mid-afternoon, she'd already seasoned the vegetables and placed them in the metal platter over where she'd set the Cuccoo to slow-roast. The rice boiled over the fire as well. Cremia smiled.

Okay, so the food was out of the way.

Cremia went upstairs to take care of herself now. She looked in the mirror.

"What should I wear?"

xxxxx

It was late afternoon, and Oni had pretty much spent the day helping Julian light the rest of the torches. He'd also been explaining his situation to the smaller man, and Julian seemed to be taking it like a professional therapist with his 'mhm's and 'ahh's.

"So you've got a date with her tonight, then?"

"I wouldn't call it that, but-"

"Oh, don't be silly, that's exactly what it is."

"Well, I guess.."

Julian looked Oni up and down.

"So, are you going in..that?" He made a disgusted sort of face.

Oni blinked. "Yeah."

"Okay, whatever floats your boat," said Julian in a high voice, not wanting to intimidate the giant man in front of him. But Oni was just slightly annoyed.

"I mean, it's not like I own a suit or anything."

"I see. Well, you'd best go on and get ready, then."

xxxx

The sun had already started to set when Oni began to make his way toward Romani Ranch. The snow crunched under his heavy boots as he passed by a group of teenage Terminian girls that seemed headed toward Great Bay, by the looks of the ice skates hanging over the backs of their coats. One of them squeaked in fear upon seeing him.

"It's that big freak!"

"Shh, Lia, do you want to be crushed like Sakon?"

"Let's go already!"

Oni rolled his eyes as the girls picked up speed past him. The people of this land were so judgemental, he'd witnessed racism with his own eyes a few times.

He'd watched a Goron be denied of rights to stay in Stock Pot Inn.

He'd watched Deku Scrubs get picked on by local children.

He'd watched a Zora girl get used by her "boyfriend" then dumped.

He'd even watched a Gerudo pirate, although not the best company, and only minding her own business while walking toward a trade shop, get jeered at and have crude, sexual things shouted at her by townsmen as they threw empty milk bottles at her.

Of course, she'd run after them with her swords out after she'd taken care of business..

And he himself was no stranger to the cruel treatment of the people in Clock Town.

Positive thoughts, he told himself as he entered Milk Road, you don't want to give a bad impression..

His heart raced as he neared the gate of the ranch. He slowly opened it, shaking his head to himself as he realized that as hard as she tried, Cremia was very naive when it came to safety.

Oni walked through the snow, which shone almost as bright as his eyes in the semi-darkness of the ranch. He caught the savory aroma of Cremia's cooking as he got closer..

xxxxxx

Knock knock knock.

He's here!

Cremia's heart beat nervously as she opened the door.

"Welcome, Oni. Come on in!"

Oni heard the slight shake of her welcome as he entered the house. He removed his boots and hat and took a seat as Cremia fixed the plates.

"So, how was your day, Oni?"

Oni's heart was beating wildly as he looked into Cremia's large, beautiful eyes.

"It was alright, and y-yours..?"

"Oh, my day...it was..it was fine.."

"Quite cold out, isn't it?" She smiled as she set Oni's plate in front of him.

The girl seemed like a skilled cook, to say the least. Half a roasted Cuccoo, covered in excellent-smelling rice and vegetables, sat on top of what smelled like garlic sauce.

"It looks amazing."

Cremia giggled as she set her plate down across from Oni.

"So..." started Cremia as they started on their dinner.

"Tell me about your background."

"My background?"

"Your life story." She smiled.

Oni swallowed. "I...um.."

He glanced up at Cremia. She tilted her head quizzically.

"I'd rather not talk about it." Cremia frowned.

"I'd feel a lot more comfortable if you did."

After a brief silence, Oni sighed and opened up to Cremia about his situation.

"So you're not from here at all, are you..?"

Oni shook his head.

"And...you're a warrior.."

"Well, I was..." said Oni quietly as he poked at a roasted potato.

"I don't really know what I am anymore.."

Cremia pursed her lips and nodded. "I understand..but.."

She looked up at him reassuringly.

"I do know that you've done me great favors by saving me from Sakon and from the Wolfos. I know that, even though it is a bit strange, I'll admit- that you care tremendously about my safety. You know.."

Cremia sighed as she pushed her empty plate to the side. She blinked away stray tears before she continued talking. Oni held his breath.

"Termina's social downfall is the reason I sent my little sister Romani away with some loved ones to a faraway country called Queensley. I'm very thankful that you watch over me."

It finally hit Oni that he hadn't realized the little girl had been missing from the picture.

"If you didn't save me from the things that had happened, I'd be gone by now."

Another brief silence.

"So...you're not intimidated by me..?"

Of course she is, you nitwit, he thought. Why are you even asking-

"Not at all. Not anymore, at least." She giggled.

Oni smiled.

What a feeling, to know that Cremia, the most beautiful, kind hearted girl in the universe, wasn't afraid of him, a monster, a subhuman beast of a man.

"Come, sit by the fire with me. It's getting cold in here."

Oni followed Cremia to the long, flat mattress that lay in front of the fire. The girl sat down, and looked up at him.

"Aren't you going to sit with me?"

Oni hesitated nervously. The mattress barely had room for the both of them. Surely he wouldn't be able to sit without having to...touch her..

"Are...are you alright?"

Oni unclenched his fists. "Yeah...yeah I'm fine."

He took a seat next to Cremia. Her shoulder grazed his inner arm, he was so much taller.

Oni suddenly felt his body grow hotter than the fire itself.

"You know...my parents died when Romani was just a small girl...I was barely into my teens.."

Oni tried to relax as he listened to Cremia tell her story.

"When we returned from Queensley, where we'd been staying with my friend's relatives, all the work was on me. I had no help, except occasionally Kafei..would.."

Cremia cleared her throat, then was silent for a moment before continuing.

"Anyway, my uncles live just outside the ranch. They don't really like me because they never liked my father. Even though they're his brothers."

Oni was listening, but it took all his self control not to touch her..

This was the woman he wanted so badly, the same woman he'd seen in nothing but a little silk nightgown, which only strenghthened his desire for her. The girl with the long red hair and beautiful blue eyes...her full figure and her fair skin...her voice..

"..and then they got engaged, can you believe it..? It's like betrayal, almost."

Oni nodded, in complete honesty he'd barely even heard what she said by now.

"I'd..better go.."

Cremia's eyes widened and her mouth slightly hung open.

"But it's so early!"

Oni was slightly taken aback. Was she really enjoying his company?

He wanted to stay forever. Of course he didn't want to leave.

But if he attempted to act on his strong desire, she'd never want to see him again.

"Oni...if you're going to leave, take this with you.."

Cremia smiled and pulled a folded quilt from a stand near the fire.

"I made this quilt a while ago for...someone..but I want you to have it."

She was giving him a quilt?

Oni smiled happily down at the folded quilt in his arms. Cremia smiled and giggled happily in the demon warrior's joy.

"I'm glad you like it. Teehee!"

"Thank you very much, Cremia.." Oni felt his face grow hot.

No one had ever shown him this amount of kindness since...

Since his mother had lived.

Oni jumped as he felt Cremia's delicate hand touch his muscular forearm.

His body then grew even hotter as she pulled his torso into a warm hug.

"I really better get going.."

Cremia frowned. Was he...uncomfortable with her..?

"Oh..okay," the girl's smile had faltered slightly as she let go of Oni's waist.

Her head had barely reached his chest. This man was so big..

"I'll...I'll see you around..I guess..," Cremia sighed as Oni nodded and headed out into the snowy grounds of the ranch. She closed the door slowly behind him.

xx

Oni walked through the ranch and out past the gate, shaking his head in regret.

She probably thinks I don't like her! He shook the terrible thought.

But he couldn't help leaving...he would have done something even more regrettable..

He headed toward Great Bay with the quilt pinned to his chest, for fear of dropping it in the snow and losing it forever.

He greeted Julian as he entered the oceanside cave mansion, and headed straight for the bedroom that had been lent to him.

"Guess it didn't go well.." Julian whispered to his maid, Stalia, as Oni shut the door.

xx

Cremia sighed as she washed the last dish and headed upstairs.

Why did he want to leave so badly? Was it something she'd said?

Maybe she talked too much?

Maybe she'd dug too far into his personal business?

"Here I go, messing up my relations with people again," the girl sighed as she ran a bath.

She couldn't help but think about him though..

Even as far as letting her mind wander into romantic fantasies..

Was she insane?

"Think about how badly your body needs this hot, relaxing bath.." she told herself as she sank into the bubbles and closed her eyes.

xxxxx


	13. Chapter 13

Knock knock. Knock knock KNOCK KNOCK.

"Just a second!"

Cremia hopped out of bed, pulling a fuzzy lavender robe around her body as she ran down the steps to open the door.

It was the postman, smiling broadly from ear to ear.

"Good morning! Two letters for you today." He pulled his scarf tighter around his neck.

Cremia smiled and thanked him as he sped away, then sat down at the table to open the letters.

The first one was stamped with the emblem of Queensley. Romani!

Ignoring the other letter, she tore the first one open and began to read.

_ Dearest Cremia_

_ I hope you are doing well. Romani is very happy and is content in the company of our daughters. Thankfully, it's very calm here in Queensley and she quite enjoys being outside. She is quite the rebel, sometimes, though. But all is well here. _

_Please do let us know if you need anything else, darling._

_ Sincerely, The Krenders_

Cremia let out a sigh of relief. "Wonderful news." With that, she pulled the other letter out from under all the torn paper. This one was from Clocktown.

"Hmm."

She opened it and, rolling her eyes, spotted the signature of the bartender of the Milk Bar.

"More work.." she sighed as she went upstairs to put her work clothes on.

xxxx

Oni wandered around the frozen Great Bay area, watching as a group of young people skated across the now-thickening ice sheet over the water.

He sighed as they played and laughed, as the lovers shared kisses between their long strides across the ice, as the children helped one another when they fell on the ice..

One thing about Oni that no one would ever guess is that he loved children.

He loved their laughs, their smiles, their innocent views on life. He loved their sincere affection and honestly, their lack of prejudice, their playful attitudes.

He'd started thinking about marrying and having children of his own before...

It happened..

He wondered if there'd ever be a chance for him.

He broke his gaze and moved on, leaving large bootprints behind him as he wandered into Termina Field. It was actually sort of beautiful, now that the grounds were covered in a thick, lush layer of white snow. Oni pulled the Wolfos-fur jacket tighter over his broad shoulders, shivering in the sharp cold.

Then his head turned as he heard the sound of a beast of burden.

The Romani Ranch wagon was rolling through the snowy grounds toward the entrance of South Clocktown. Oni narrowed his eyes and saw Cremia, bundled up in her white coat and brown scarf around the bottom half of her face, sitting behind the two mules.

I'd better not get in her way, he thought as he watched from behind a frozen fountain. She then hopped off the wagon and pulled a large wooden box from the back of the wagon with difficulty. Oni watched as she staggered around trying to carry the heavy box as she attempted to drag another one over it from the wagon.

Was she really trying to do this kind of work alone?

xxxx

"Woo! There we go.." Cremia took in a breath as she steadied her feet.

"Come on, Cremia, you can do this.."

She began to step carefully toward the entrance to Clocktown, with only the high walls above the boxes to guide her in.

"Here, let me do that.."

"Gyaah!"

The boxes fell into the snow as Cremia jumped what seemed like a mile high.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!"

Cremia placed a hand over her heart as she looked in the direction of the voice.

And there he was with his eerie white eyes and fluttering silver locks.

"Oni! By the blessings of the land, you frightened the life out of me!"

"I frighten everyone, don't I?" A slight smile played the corner of his thin lips.

Cremia's mouth slowly turned up in a smile. She raised her eyebrow.

"Well," she breathed as Oni picked the boxes up with enviable ease.

"You're definitely here conveniently."

"That's what I'm here for.."

Cremia followed Oni as he stepped toward the entrance, but then stopped.

"L-let's take another entrance."

Cremia's brow furrowed. "Alright..."

Oni led Cremia toward the entrance of East Clocktown, then led her into the snowy, bustling little town. The giant man stopped and looked down at Cremia.

"Where to?"

Cremia smiled slightly. "The Milk Bar, just down the steps."

Cremia cleared her throat nervously as she noticed the townspeople staring at the two with expressions of utter confusion. Wonderful...she already felt the gossip hit her ears.

xxxx

After they'd given the bartender's assistant the boxes, Cremia turned to face Oni, her cheeks glowing pink from the cold. She was smiling up at the giant man.

"Thank you for helping me, once again."

Oni's lips turned up in a smile. He couldn't help staring at her, either.

"You're more than welcome."

"Oooh, Oni's got a girlfriend!"

Oni's brow furrowed as he saw one of the little Bomber kids smirking down at him from the top of the steps. The other kids soon joined him in a chant as they ran around.

"Oni's got a girlfriend! Oni's got a girlfriend!"

Cremia cleared her throat again as her cheeks went an even deeper shade of pink.

"Stop, you guys," Oni called toward the giggling children, his face going hot.

"No, just let them enjoy themselves," giggled Cremia as she watched them play.

The girl then grinned up at him. "I'll get going now.. see you around."

Just as Cremia turned to leave, she was stopped by a sudden voice from the side.

"What is this, Cremia?"

A young blonde woman in a green suede coat and matching hat approached the ranch girl. She had an obvious forced smile on her painted red lips as she eyed Oni up and down from the corner of her eye before looking back at Cremia.

"Oh, hello, Viola, I didn't see you there.."

"Enough with the small talk, my dear, introduce me to your..erm..boyfriend.." Viola sneered in Oni's direction, making the demon warrior shift uncomfortably under(well,above) her gaze.

"He..he's not..oh, dear..Viola, this is my friend, Oni," stuttered Cremia, throwing Oni a nervous look as he bowed awkwardly toward the smug Viola.

"Your friend, you say? Pleasure to meet you..erm..Oni," Viola made a face of disgust.

"Likewise," said Oni quietly, not sure whether he meant it.

Viola raised a brow slightly and fixed the hem of her coat.

"Well, pleasure seeing you...two..here. Goodbye, Cremia. Oni."

The young woman didn't hesitate in walking briskly toward Stock Pot Inn.

Cremia looked like she'd just seen a ghost. Oni blinked.

"Who.."

"Don't mind her, she's just a girl I knew from lessons.."

Oni nodded. "Charming.."

Cremia's face broke into an amused grin. "Yeah, isn't she?"

She looked up at Oni and winked, making Oni shiver even more than the cold did.

She was so beautiful...he couldn't get enough of her company.

"I'll get going for sure this time. See you around, Oni."

"Goodbye, Cremia."

Oni watched as the guard at the exit of the town hastily stumbled over trying to make way for Cremia as she passed him. This girl really had men falling over left and right..

"Might as well get something to eat.."

xxxx

Cremia sighed in relief as she entered her house. She pulled her winter outerwear off and began to cook herself up some lunch. She then wished she'd at least have been polite and invited him over, knowing he was basically homeless and wandering around..

But it was too late for that now, she thought as she stirred the onion soup.

After Cremia ate, she got busy with the housework, washing laundry and organizing around the kitchen. She sighed sadly as she thought of how Romani would be playing with her dolls or with Lula if she were here...

"So quiet in here.."

xxxx

"Look at him, he's just...frightening, really."

"What is he, anyway? Some Zoran hybrid sort..?"

"Goodness knows. Anyway, let's be off before he hears us."

Too late, you air-headed wench, thought Oni as he ate his lunch of Terminian take-out rice.

He watched as the group of young women laughed and gossiped into the entrance of South Clocktown...somewhere he wouldn't dare go..not yet..

He spotted one of the Bomber kids crying as the others played in the snow.

"Huh? They usually get along.."

Oni disposed of the empty food carton and walked over to where the young boy sobbed.

"What's wrong, little boy?"

The child looked up at Oni with teary eyes.

"Nothing! Go away you big dummy!"

Oni sighed. "I can help you."

"Well, tell them to give me back my mask, then!"

"Your mask..?" Oni suddenly gasped as he caught sight of the mask the children were playing catch with in the snow.

"HEY! GIVE ME THAT!"

"Huh?!"

Oni grabbed the mask from the children, but then felt terribly taken aback when he realized it was just a fake, poorly-crafted lookalike of the mask that had caused a big problem in Termina not too long ago...

He sighed and turned toward the little boy, who had been reaching for the mask.

"Here you go..you kids be nice to each other, okay?"

"Whatever.."

xxxxx


	14. Chapter 14

Cremia woke up to the sound of howling wind the following morning.

"Whaa..?"

She jumped out of bed and looked out the window to see the ranch covered with a blanket of snow so thick she could barely see the top of the box that Romani used to sit on.

"I guess I'll have to fight my way to the barn then.."

Cremia pulled her work dress on, along with her boots and her coat, and opened the door to recieve a gust of wind and snow to the face.

"Gah!" She slammed the door and wiped snow out of her eyes. She grabbed a shovel that'd been leaning behind the door and took a deep breath.

"Here we go now, one..two.."

Cremia pushed the door open and began shoveling the snow out of her way with difficulty. She inwardly prayed that no one would call her over to Clocktown today, it would be hard on her poor mules to pull the heavy wagon through all that snow.

"Easy does it, there we go...Lula, over here, girl!"

Cremia opened the door just wide enough for herself and the dog to get into the barn. After she slammed the door and caught her breath, she took a look at the animals.

"I bet y'all are hungry!"

Cremia poured meal for the farm animals, and pulled out some old bones for Lula to play with, and began cleaning up a bit around the barn. She shivered, it was so cold...

"Might as well just stay in today, right? I hope no one comes.."

Except.. maybe one person...Cremia blushed. Was she really blushing?

She never thought her heart would race the way it did around anyone but Kafei, but she was wrong. She shivered at the possibility of developing true feelings for...him..

He wasn't a bad guy, she thought as she shoveled snow out of her way while she walked toward the house. He was...amazing.. he was her...hero. He'd saved her.

But so had Grasshopper, right? She didn't fall in love with him. Neither did Romani, as far as she knew, anyway. Cremia pulled the door open and went inside.

But Oni...Cremia got goosebumps at the thought of his name...he liked her...he found her beautiful...

Cremia swallowed as her heart began to race again. What if she was feeling...something..?

"Nonsense, Cremia, you can't...you just can't.."

The girl lit a fire under some water and began slicing vegetables for breakfast. She fried a Cuccoo egg and put the steamed vegetables on the side and sat at the table.

How many more lonely breakfasts are ahead of me? Cremia thought sadly as she missed her sister.

Most likely a whole lot..

xxxxxx

Master clambered around the room under the Clock Tower, his wits on end. It had been days since Oni had abandoned him. He felt as if he were losing it.

"I need him back," he stammered insanely, clumsily reaching for a coat and stepping closer to the door. Then he let out a miserable sound and stepped back.

He simply did not go out there. The people, the places... he was afraid.

He'd been all over the lands, but Termina frightened him. He'd been bribing a young man that'd wandered into the room to bring him food everyday in exchange for one of his marvelous masks. He did not want to leave the room.

"How- how will I have Oni back? I need him," Master moaned as he stepped on an empty food carton. He ran his pale, slim fingers down his upper arms, feeling the insane desire for company overwhelm him.

"I think I...I think I know.."

xxxxxx

Cremia was just about to wash the laundry when she heard a frenzied knock on the door.

"Hmm?" She'd jumped slightly at the possibility...could it be..?

She ran downstairs to open the door, and then her face hardened disheartedly.

"Oh, good morning, Mr. Postman."

The postman grinned happily and raised an eyebrow.

"Miss Cremia doesn't look very happy to see me today, yah? Here you go!"

The postman gave Cremia a letter before running back out into the snow.

"Hmm...the Mayor?" Cremia's eyes widened as she opened it, hoping it wasn't just a milk request.

_Dear Cremia_

_ I am in need of your assistance in South Clocktown. There seems to be a cow stuck under Clock Tower, and my son and I are unable to coax her from under the rails. Please come immediately. _

_ Waiting anxiously_

_ Mayor Dotour_

Cremia shook her head as she threw on her coat and boots. A cow under Clock Tower? What was becoming of this land? Cremia's heart also fluttered at the thought of having to be in there with Kafei and the man she'd thought through all her teen years would be her father-in-law. She felt her face grow hot with emotion as she mounted her creme mare and headed out toward Termina Field.

xxxxx

Oni felt the snow crunch beneath his boots as he walked around the frozen Southern Swamp. He'd felt so lonely the last few hours, without his Master, without ...her..alone, with no one. Hence the decision to come visit the two fairies he'd met the other day.

He wandered around, taking in the eerie sight of the frozen swamp, the ice light green in color. He spotted the smoke of the Witches' Potion Shop right around the hills and trees of the area. He saw a couple of rabbits peek out of a hole in the ground before disappearing hastily upon sight of his giant build. He couldn't help but smile.

"Where could those fairies be..?"

After looking for a few more minutes to no avail, Oni decided to leave the swamp and head back out into Termina Field. Then he saw her.. just as she dismounted her horse and walked into South Clocktown.

Oni quickened his pace, but hesitated upon reaching the entrance. Did he really want to go into South Clocktown and risk being seen by the salesman, even though he wasn't known to leave the room under the tower..?

But what about Cremia? Why was she in South Clocktown?

Oni carefully slipped into the town and almost lost his balance as he watched Cremia slowly enter the room under Clock Tower.

"Cremia, NO!"

xxxxx

"Hello..? Mayor Dotour...? Kafei..?"

Cremia hesitantly stepped around the corner of the room toward the rails, but someone had grabbed her around the waist and slapped a hand to her mouth.

Cremia jumped as her eyes widened in shock and she screamed in surprise against the attacker's hand. But she struggled only to be held tighter.

"Good job, Sharo. Bring her closer. Let's see what all Oni's fuss is about.."

Cremia was shoved forward by her attacker, toward a strange, red-haired man in a purple uniform. He was eerily mellow, yet frighteningly menacing.

"So you're the Cremia my slave is always running away to see."

Cremia's eyes widened in fear. He would surely kill her.

xxxx

Oni took a breath and raced toward Clock Tower on weak legs. He pushed the door open, and what he saw almost knocked his breath out of him.

A tall, sturdy young Terminian man was grinning as he held Cremia an inch from the mask salesman, who leered down at her as if she were his dinner.

"Cremia!"

Oni started to run toward the girl, but he was stopped when the salesman lifted a finger and the demon warrior was thrown into a wall by the sheer force of magic.

Of course...thought Oni as he wiped blood from his temple. His magic...

But he wouldn't let that stop him from protecting Cremia.

"Don't even try to get back up."

Oni looked up from the floor and saw his Master leering over him menacingly.

"So you thought you could run from me? The one that gave you everything?"

Oni glared daggers up at the salesman.

"I don't need you."

The salesman let out a tiny gasp of faux surprise before kicking Oni in the head.

"Oni!" Cremia shrieked as she fought against the muscular man's grip.

"Shut up, wench!" He struck her across the face. Oni roared in anger and threw himself off the ground, only to be slammed back against the wall by his Master.

"So...you don't need me..? Well, then. You know your fate. But first..." The salesman flicked his finger and Oni fell against the stone floor again, "You will watch her suffer."

"NO!"

The salesman chuckled as he nodded toward Sharo, who then laughed obnoxiously as he began to undress Cremia. The girl fought against him, but she was no match for his strength.

Oni couldn't move. He was paralyzed with magic, being forced to watch the woman he adored be destroyed in front of his very eyes.

And for the first time in as long as he could remember, Oni cried.

His silvery tears escaped as he shook in silent sobs while Sharo violated Cremia, the sounds of her muffled screams mingling with Sharo's grunts and obnoxious laughing.

And his Master...standing there alternating satisfied glares between Oni's tear-stained cheeks and Cremia on the floor having her life crushed to pieces by Sharo.

"That's quite enough, Sharo. I think it's time for Oni to go.."

The large man released Cremia hesitantly, letting her sob her heart out on the cold floor.

"Such a pity..."

The salesman turned toward Oni, whose anguished tears still fell to the floor.

"And I thought you were thankful...pity..." The salesman raised a hand toward Oni.

"Please, don't..." Oni whispered weakly. "Please.."

"I'm terribly sorry, dear boy."

And the room went bright with a blinding flash for a moment, accompanied by what sounded like an explosion of electricity.

And in Oni's place lay a shell of a mask: a flat, lifeless sheet of painted clay in his image.

xxxxxx


	15. Chapter 15

One month.

One month since that day... since she'd been raped.

Since she'd escaped the grip of the man that had destroyed her and ran through the night in nothing but her own skin...through the snow...to the ranch where she'd sobbed like a heartbroken child as she attempted to wash the pain away in the bathtub..

One month since she'd watched her savior and protector vanish before her eyes at the hand of a cruel, mentally unstable mask salesman.

Cremia wiped at the fresh tears that had welled up as she tried to shake the memory away. She was sitting with Anju in the kitchen of the Stock Pot Inn, having an early breakfast and talking to Anju about Kafei, who seemed to be backing out of the engagement.

Cremia'd spent the last two nights with Anju, who'd fallen into a bit of a depression as she watched Kafei withdraw slowly from the wedding plans.

"Don't worry, Anju, he'll come around.." sighed Cremia as she sipped at her coffee. "Ooh, it's still hot," She quickly pulled the mug away from her lips. Anju smiled slightly.

"He's probably just nervous, all guys get that way. Don't you remember how Honey acted before he married Darling?" Cremia sniffled as she looked toward the hall.

"Yeah...Cremia, are you alright..?"

"Huh, me? Yeah, I...I just..the coffee was too hot."

Anju made a noise of surprise. "Im so sorry!"

"It's not your fault, it's mine, I'm just so tired I can't wait to feel energy."

The girls smiled at each other. Cremia lay a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"It'll be okay."

Anju stirred at her coffee nervously with the tip of her finger.

"So...how are you feeling..?"

Cremia sighed. "A bit better, I suppose.."

"Wonderful.."

A week after it happened, Cremia told Anju about the rape. She didn't mention Oni, just that she'd been tricked into going into the room under Clock Tower to be ambushed.

Anju had burst into tears and insisted that Cremia stay with her at the inn, and she did so for about a week. And now here she was again, not quite feeling safe at the ranch without him..

Kafei and his friend Ephraim had been taking care of the animals at the ranch for Cremia, which she (awkardly) thanked them graciously for.

"It's eight o' clock," said Anju, standing up and straightening her skirt.

"Time for work."

Cremia nodded and pulled on an apron. She'd been helping Anju at the inn by cooking for the guests and cleaning their rooms. She began to boil some Cuccoo eggs and tea.

She felt safe here, she felt slightly at peace even, except for when she saw Kafei pass by or say hello.. then her heart just began to race and she'd get nervous..

Cremia began to load the breakfast onto separate trays and carried one on each hand toward the bedrooms upstairs. She knocked on the first door.

"Yes?"

"Breakfast!"

"Just a second. Ugh!"

Cremia rolled her eyes as one of the Rosa twins opened the door. Her short, red hair was loose over her pale shoulders and her face was clouded with sleep.

"Good morning, Judo."

"Morning. Thanks for the food." The dancer took the tray from Cremia with a bitter smile.

"My...pleasure.." The door slammed in her face.

Cremia shrugged and moved on to the next door.

"Breakfast!"

"Oh, goody!"

A tall, slim young Zora man smiled brightly at Cremia as she almost dropped the tray.

"Are you Japas of the Indigo-Gos?"

The Zora smiled from behind his long hair-like fins.

"Indeed I am!"

Cremia smiled brightly. "Well, welcome to Stock Pot Inn!"

Japas laughed. "Thanks, beautiful!" Cremia blushed.

Wow, the inn sure was getting popular, thought Cremia as she descended the steps. Celebrities were staying here now, huh? Anju must be beaming.

It was late afternoon by the time lunch was finished being served and it was Cremia's turn at the front counter, and time for Anju to take a break.

"Welcome to Stock Pot Inn, my name is Cremia, how may I help you?"

An aging blonde woman with purple lipstick and a large black hat smiled down at Cremia.

"One room, please. A suite, if you will."

Cremia looked up at the tall woman, taken aback.

"Im sorry, madam, we don't...we don't have suites.."

The woman snorted.

"Well, then. One room, please and thank you."

Cremia lay her head on the desk as night began to fall. No wonder Anju was always so sad.

"Milk Bar tonight, Anj?"

"I told you not to call me that."

"Well?"

"Alright, but not too long. I'm exhausted," laughed Anju as she pulled her coat on.

xxxxx

Master sighed as he ate his dinner alone. Alone. Again. He shuddered.

Sharo was gone. He'd taken his own life. Master didn't know why.

No one did, actually.

He shuddered again as he threw the bones of the roast rat to the side.

"Why did she leave..?"

He could've kept the girl. Enslaved her. Or married her...or both. He grinned manically.

But she had run from him too. Why did everyone run from him?

But he wouldn't leave the room under Clock Tower, oh no, he wouldn't.

Nor would he bring...him back. He didn't deserve to live. He was an ungrateful slave.

The Skullkid was out there causing trouble, and Oni was supposed to capture him and bring him back to his Master..

But he'd wasted that time running after a poor excuse for a woman..

Nonsense, thought Master as he shuddered yet again. She was beautiful.

Young, full-figured, large eyed and long haired...

Master groaned as he longed for affection.

If only someone would wander down here...he'd send them, yes..

Send them to bring her to him.

xxxxxx

"AAAAAARRGHHHH STOPPPPPP, PLEASE!"

Oni was frozen in one spot. He couldn't move. He was on his knees motionless, yet again.

Watching his mother be raped and beaten over and over and over...

And once her throat had been slit, it would start over..and over..

"PLEASE! MOTHER! NO, MOTHER!"

"Oni! My son! Run!"

Oni saw his father being held by the enemy with a sword to his throat.

"FATHER!"

And off went his head...over and over..

And over...

Oni sobbed and gasped for breath as he saw the cloaked enemy with the spear glide slowly toward him, encircled in billows of black smoke.

"No...NO!"

xxxxxx

"No!"

Anju giggled as she watched Cremia's face go red.

"No, I would NOT date him. He's not my type at all!"

"He's a handsome guy, why not?"

Cremia shook her head as she finished her bottle of Chateau Romani.

"He's too short." Cremia's face went hot as she remembered how...tall..

"He's like 5'10, you're what, 5'4? 5'5?" Anju nudged her friend playfully.

Cremia shook her head. "I don't want to date yet, anyway.."

Anju fell silent for a moment before nodding. This must be about Kafei, she thought as she watched Cremia sigh into her empty bottle.

"I understand. Hey, who needs men when you see me everyday?"

"Says the engaged one."

Anju frowned. "I don't even think he loves me anymore."

Cremia shook her head. "I'm sure he does," she said as she paid the bartender.

The girls pulled on their coats after thanking the bartender and ascended the steps to the door.

"After you." Anju opened the door with a smile.

The girls opened the door to the inn, which was literally a few steps to the left of the Milk Bar, and called it a night as they bid each other goodnight and went to bed.

xxxxx


	16. Chapter 16

"That's...strange.."

Cremia's brow furrowed as she stood under the shade of the canvas of the door of Stock Pot Inn. She looked up into the dark gray skies, completely puzzled.

The snow was gone, and it was cool and gray out, the beginnings of a thunderstorm circling Termina threatengly. "So strange.."

"Yes, quite," said Anju as she struggled with her umbrella.

"What's wrong with this thing..?"

"Anju, I...I'm going to the ranch."

Anju abandoned her battle with the umbrella and looked at Cremia as if she were insane.

"What?"

"I'm ready now. I'll be alright."

"Don't be silly-"

"I'll see you later, okay?"

"Cremia-"

"Bye!" She briefly embraced the baffled innkeeper before she turned and left without another word.

Cremia shivered as the sky grew darker and the wind grew stronger, pulling the sleeves of her coat further down her arms. She'd burdened Anju enough, taking up room in the inn that other people could be using. Cremia subconsiously reached into her coat pocket, making sure the small dagger her father had left behind was safe and ready in case anyone tried to mess around with her. She gulped as she wondered how she'd bring herself to use a weapon.

"Milk Road..."

Cremia licked her lips as she quickened her pace, nodding briefly toward one of her Gorman uncles as she hurried into the gates of the ranch. She jumped as a twig snapped under her boots, then laughed slightly as she mocked her own cowardice.

"I don't need to be afraid! I raised my sister alone! Hah! Nothing scares me!"

Cremia yelped as thunder boomed high above the land. She laughed nervously and broke into a run. Was she going insane in her own paranoia?

She breathed a sigh of relief as she opened the door and whispered blessings into the empty house to keep the demons away, and plopped herself down into a dining room chair.

Upon catching her breath, the girl looked around. Everything seemed to be in place, except for a couple of mud-stained shirts and dirty dishes that were most likely left behind by Kafei and his friend while they worked here..

Cremia sighed as she rested her elbows on the table and lay her chin upon her palms.

And she couldn't help but feel the tears well up in her eyes.

Where was he...?

What had happened to him? Her heart ached for him, she wanted him here with her..

He was her savior..

Cremia closed her eyes as she felt a warm feeling flow from her heart to the rest of her body.

She was in love with Oni. She'd struggled to deny it, to forget the feelings, to ignore the emotional haze that had set itself around her heart.

She loved him.. and she ached at the thought of him being gone.

But he was gone.. and she'd have to force herself to accept it.

"Oh, brave savior of mine.." she whispered as the tears rolled down her face.

"May God be with you.."

xxxxx

The mask salesman waited. He waited with a manic grin on his face, waited for what he knew would be here any minute..

He sat in a corner of the room under Clock Tower, waiting for the ones that would put an end to it all.. the ones that would put an end to his misery and their happiness..

The manic salesman's face lit up psychotically as they entered the room.

Six scantily clan, dark-skinned women in different colored tanktops and harem pants entered the room, their fiery red hair pulled up in messy ponytails over their tan shoulders and gleaming golden eyes. They stood in front of the salesman, smirks upon their dangerously beautiful faces. Gerudo pirates.

"You're finally here."

The one who seemed to be the leader smirked even more distinguishably.

She stepped up even closer to the salesman, who was now on his feet with his arms crossed.

"Aveil."

"It's been a long time, Jindeel."

The mask salesman froze for a moment.

"Call me Jin."

The Gerudo called Aveil lifted her chin haughtily.

"Fine then, Jin. We are ready when you are."

The salesman smirked.

"Burn it all down."

xxxxxxx

"Oni..."

The blood poured from the demon warrior's mouth as he struggled to lift his head.

He was looking into the face of his late father, his splitting image.

"Father...the enemy...they.."

"They are gone, for now. Sit up, my boy."

Oni pulled himself up with difficulty. His father wore a serious look on his aged face.

"You must go back."

"I cannot."

"You can."

"Father I cannot.."

"You can, my son. There is a way for you. Not for us."

Oni shook his head.

"I shall not let you stay here to suffer."

Oni's father shook his head.

"Oni, we are not suffering, my son.. The monster of a man that sealed you into the mask is merely using dark magic to torture you with those memories..."

Oni looked deeply into his father's eyes. "So you're.."

"We are in a better place. My son you must find a way back."

"But Father...how?"

"You must seek answers from the Divine One my son..."

And to Oni's heart-dropping surprise, his father disappeared.

"Father..?"

"The Divine One, my son..."

Silence.

Oni looked at his shaking hands as he breathed heavily. He then looked around to find himself in a great plain, a field with nothing but a lone tree in the middle.

He stood and sheathed his sword, then by sudden impulse, was brought to his knees in prayer.

Oni found himself in desperate tears as he pleaded with a Divine Being he couldn't see or here...he just knew something was there...and he prayed...

xxxxx

"This is going to be fantastic."

The twenty-something Gerudo pirate chuckled darkly as she held a couple of matches between her teeth. It was the middle of the night, and she was kneeling next to the slide in North Clocktown, waiting for her cue.

This shit was taking too long, she thought.

She threw back her fiery hair and waited..

And then her comrade gave her the thumbs up from the top of the fence..

The Gerudo laughed darkly as she lit the match and threw it in the grass.

She heard a scream as she darted out of North Clocktown and into Termina Field.

xxxx

"You're gonna DIE, you're gonna DIE!"

Another young Gerudo pirate, a bit crazy in the head, jumped on the bed of the postman, who seemed too shocked at the sight of her to even make a sound or a move.

He stared up at her through glassy eyes as she laughed shrilly.

"Bye bye!"

And the crazy young woman delighted in the man's screams as she set fire to his bed.

xxxx

Aveil wore a dark smirk as she snuck into the Mayor's building. As she stuck a match between her teeth and grabbed the doorknob to the bedroom, she was stopped by a strong pair of hands around her forearms.

"And WHAT do you think you're doing?"

Aveil rolled her eyes as she faced the Captain of the Guard.

"Oh, it's just you, Viscen. Stay out of my way. I'm busy here. Woah!"

The Gerudo looked utterly appalled as Captain Viscen kicked her in the stomach, forcing her to fall to the floor. She glared up at him.

"You're going to die tonight, Viscen. You and the rest of them."

"Not on my watch."

Aveil snarled and lunged at Viscen, grabbing him around the waist and crushing him into a wall. She brought her face within less than an inch of his.

"I would've kept you as a toy, but you're too damn stubborn, Viscen."

And with that, Aveil banged her head against his face, and set the burning match to the floor as Viscen tended to his severe nosebleed. It was too late by the time he'd realized what she'd done. The building was in flames as Aveil shrieked with glee on her way out.

xxxx

The salesman watched from the astronomy tower as the flames of the fire cast an orange glow upon Termina Field. He grinned manically.

If he couldn't enjoy life, why should anyone live...?

xxxx


	17. Chapter 17

**Warning: This chapter contains slightly disturbing female/female assault.**

"There we go. Good girl.."

Cremia smiled slightly as she fed the mare. Lighting a torch, she walked off toward the gate to make sure it was still locked and in place for the night; after all, there had been a couple of break-in attempts by no-good rebels of teenagers.

But something didn't feel right as Cremia noticed that pink sky seemed even hazier in the distance than usual...darker...smokier..the girl coughed as it became harder to breathe..

Smoke. It was smoke.

Cremia gasped as the dark billows made their way steadily over the ranch and dropped down to the level of the gate. She stumbled backward slightly as she broke into a run, her legs feeling like Chu Chus as she raced for the barn.

What would she do with the animals?

Cremia forced the barn door open and rounded the animals up and herded them quickly toward the back gate that led toward the territory of cider forest and mountains- the border of Termina, the vast land between theirs and Queensley.

"Go, go!" With tears in her eyes, she closed the gate and made sure the animals had run far away before she turned around to face the ranch again.

She mounted her mare, the only animal she hadn't set free, and rode toward her uncles' part of Milk Road to make sure they were alright..

But the road toward their race track had been blocked by giant logs of smoked,fallen wood.

"No!"

Cremia screamed in terror as she tried to find a way around them, but to no avail.

She gasped as the entrance to the ranch was suddenly blockaded by fallen cider trees from above the rocky walls of Milk Road.

She did the only thing she could do..

"Brace yourself, girl.."

And the horse-and-rider leapt over a fallen log and into the smoky Termina Field.

xxxxx

"Mariana? Ah, there you are!"

The Gerudo leader grabbed the younger Gerudo called Mariana and pulled her out of West Clocktown and pushed her out toward Great Bay.

"Go over there and STAY there until further notice."

"Understood."

Aveil smirked as she watched Mariana leap over the fence toward the beach.

"Now for the good part..."

Aveil cackled as she lit the matches in her hand and set the grass around Clocktown ablaze.

She jumped onto the giant hollow log in Termina Field and signaled her success to someone standing opposite of the field in the high, desolate astronomy tower..

xxxxx

Jin, the mask salesman, smiled as he watched Termina burn...

The young Gerudo soldier in the tower shrieked with laughter as she watched gleefully alongside him. Jin turned to her.

"Shani.. it's time for your assignment."

The insane young pirate nodded, looking absolutely bloodthirsty.

Jin smirked as he heard the girl literally purr in anticipation.

"If you find her...torture her until her soul gives up.."

Shani's eyes flashed dangerously.

"In any way I want..?"

Jin smirked.

"Any way you want."

xxxxx

Cremia rode the mare out toward Termina Field to be met face-to-face with solid, black smoke bursting through the air and surrounding her.

The girl gasped and coughed as she tried to lead the horse blindly through the thick smoke that was Termina Field..

"AH!"

She was thrown to the ground as the mare's legs gave way as she collapsed.

Cremia tried to awaken the animal multiple times through her sobbing, but leaving her there to die was inevitable as the girl saw the first glimpse of the blazing field through the smoke.

Pain from the fall shot through Cremia's body as she half-limped toward the entrance to East Clocktown, hoping Anju was alright and that she'd taken shelter...

Only to find that Clocktown was completely ablaze.

She stumbled backwards as her legs grew even weaker. Gasping for breath, she limped toward Great Bay, her sight faltering severely and her consciousness at stake..

Cremia felt as if her lungs were going to explode as she'd been reduced to crawling toward the beach, with only her hands to guide her..

"Aww.. look at you, crawling around like a pretty little baby.."

Cremia's head shot up toward the voice, pretty sure she was hallucinating due to lack of oxygen. "Huh?"

Suddenly, she was grabbed fiercely and flung over the short cliff from Termina Field onto the sand in front of the fence to Great Bay.

She screamed in excruciating pain as she felt her body snap viciously.

Before she knew it, there was a lithe, swift body pressed against hers, slim, yet strong arms that ended in colorfully clawed hands pinned Cremia's arms to the still-cool sand.

Through the haze of smoke that had begun to cloud the bay area, Cremia made out a tan young woman with dangerously yellow eyes and a slightly out-of-order smirk.

"Thought you could get away, didntcha..?" The young woman's lips were barely touching Cremia's ear, she could smell a hint of drink on her breath through the fire-smoke.

Cremia struggled as much as she could, even though it was evident to her that she would either die of smoke inhalation, her injuries, or whatever this little psycho had planned..

"You're a pretty one.. That's just too bad.."

Cremia shrieked into the blazing night as the pirate's nails grazed her face and chest sharply and violently. The dark woman smirked.

Then, to Cremia's horror, the pirate's slim, sharp hands slid under her dress..

Up over her breasts and down her belly, cutting into her skin and letting the blood coat the woman's bright green nails...

"Keep struggling...it only makes it worth doing.."

The pirate looked up over into the field and smirked as shrieks from the Southern Swamp area rang through the night. She looked back down at her prey.

"Please...p-please.." Cremia exhaled as her attempts to throw the pirate off grew weaker with her sight and breath. The pirate chuckled softly.

"We're just getting started..."

The Gerudo smirked as she dug her nails into Cremia's inner thighs and lightly stroked her privates, all the while glaring insanely into Cremia's half-closed eyes.

And then, hell broke loose as Cremia shrieked violently into the night as the Gerudo pirate slipped her clawed fingers into the young ranch woman, repeating the assault brutally until the sand was drenched with her blood.

And she lay nearly unconcious as the pirate sadistically tore the girl's clothes off and spread the blood over her naked body.

xxxxx

Shani stood and admired her handiwork, which seemed to arouse her a little too much for comfort. She smirked as she hopped over the fence to Great Bay, leaving Cremia for dead.

xxxxx

Jin smirked.

The girl was done for. Oni had been punished for persuing her...and she'd been punished for leading him astray of his duties to the maskman.

He watched from the fireproof astronomy tower as Termina crumbled in the flames..

And then..

CRACK.

Multicolor stained glass was everywhere. Jin gasped in fright and looked around wildly.

No one.

Jin stepped down from the tower and fearfully descended the multicolor stairs..

"Sh-shani..?"

No one. Silence.

"Shani, is that you?"

Jin shook with fear as the astronomy building remained silent.

"Hello? Who-" And BOOM.

The maskman went flying into the wall as cages broke and pots shattered. Magic dusts of various colors and textures formed a rainbow haze in the air of the bottom floor of the room as Jin brought himself to a sitting position.

Bewildered, he looked around from his seat on the ground.

"Who goes there?!"

"It is I.."

And there was suddenly a long, sharp, twisted white blade inches from Jin's throat.

The maskman looked up in sheer shock as he looked into the glowing white eyes of his former slave. The demon's face was menacing and his mouth was twisted in anger.

"Oni?!"

The demon warrior's white eyes flashed in avengeful spite.

"Damn right."

xxxxx


	18. Chapter 18

_"Romani, wait!"_

_"You're so slow, Cremia!"_

Cremia's eyelids flickered as she tasted her own salty blood. She blinked helplessly at the thickening smoke that surrounded her, engulfed her, ate her up..

_"Kafei... I love you.. Don't tell Anju.."_

_"Cremia, I...I can't...I...have to go."_

The distant cackling of the pirates mingled with the sound of the fading screams and crackling of the oncoming flames from the cliff above...

Cremia exhaled shakily and feebly attempted to raise a hand for help..

_"Cremia.. Your parents...they're gone.."_

Tears fell from Cremia's eyes as the memories swept through her as she lay patiently waiting for Death to pay his visit to her...

xxxxx

"Oni, you..how..how are you?"

Jin shook with horror as he attempted a guise of desperate politeness.

The quietly furious demon's arm shook with suppressed desire for murder.

"You.." He said in a voice barely heard by the shaken maskman.

"You.. I am going to kill you."

Then, Jin rather stupidly decided it was a good time to attempt escape. He jumped up and made for the stairs, but the renewed power of Oni's magic sent him crashing back down.

The demon growled darkly over Jin's cry of pain. He loomed over the fallen maskman.

"Where is she?"

Jin's weak jaw trembled violently as he threw an arm toward the west.

Oni looked toward where Jin had pointed, then back at Jin on the floor.

The demon warrior nodded slightly.. and then, with a thrust of his blade..

He sliced Jin's head clean from his shoulders.

Oni stared emotionlessly down at the pool of bright red blood that rushed from his old master's headless body, at the face that was still stricken with the ghost of his horror..

And he wiped his weapon clean of blood and walked calmly up the steps and out of the tower.

xxxxx

_"I'll miss you, Romani.."_

_"I'll miss you too, Cremia.."_

Cremia was pretty sure she was dead.. she felt warm..very warm...hot..

She didn't move as the flames teased her from mere feet away from her body, occasionally flickering at her skin and even burning parts of her hair..

She lay completely still, her barely open eyes catching a glimpse of the indigo of early sunrise through the thick smoke above her..

She would die...and her little sister would be in Queensley forever..

Why did it matter...? Everything was gone..

_"Cremia..."_

The girl swallowed blood with difficulty and took short, shuddery breaths..

_"Cremia.."_

She let her hand fall limp to her blood-drenched side as the flames grew closer..

"Cremia!"

And her eyes opened just a bit more...and she knew she was dead.

But...heaven was hotter than she'd expected..

But she knew she was dead because up on the cliff above her, through the smoke and darkness, shone a bright white pair of eyes and the gleam of a white sword..

"Oni..." Her voice was raspy and burned-out.

And then in all his glory, he jumped down from the cliff and pulled her into his arms...his face was twisted with sadness and anger...

And he ran...with her in his arms...ran far and fast, over the fences of Ikana Canyon and up onto a mountain road, which was the highest point of Termina with the exception of Stone Tower..

"Cremia, please, don't be dead.." she heard him say as she felt him lay her body gently onto the dirt.

But she was dead, wasn't she...?

Angels only existed in heaven...

And then...she felt the corners of her mouth turn up in a weak smile.

xxxxx

She...she was smiling..

Oni checked her for a pulse...

It was there. But it wasn't very strong..

"Cremia...show me that you're alright...show me something.."

The girl twitched a hand slightly.

Tears of relief fell from Oni's white eyes and splashed onto Cremia's naked chest..

Which reminded him..

Oni slipped off the black cloak from around his shoulders and covered Cremia's body.

The sky had lightened up a bit, but promised to leave a dark day in its wake as the thunder rumbled from above. It would rain soon..

Oni then carried Cremia over to the small house in the middle of Ikana Village and nervously knocked on the door, hoping dearly not to frighten the people inside into shutting the door in his face.

"Who would that be this early..? Daddy!"

Oni heard the scuffling of little steps around the door before a man in a laboratory coat opened the door and looked half a second short of cardiac arrest.

"Oh my...oh my...Pamela, go downstairs!" said the man as his skin drained of color.

As the man's daughter obeyed, he looked at Oni and Cremia in shock before doing the only thing that seemed common sense to do.

"C-come in.."

xx

"Lay her on the bed, y-yes right there, sir.."

Oni obliged, making sure Cremia's body was covered, as not to scare the small family, especially the young girl, who seemed to be pretending to play with toys in the corner of the room to hide her fear.

"Do you mind telling me what happened?"

Oni felt himself shake slightly as he cleared his throat.

"Long story.. Termina Field and Clocktown were ablaze last night" (the man gasped and uttered something incoherent to the Divine One) "and I found her laying on the sand near the entrance to Great Bay.. She is in very critical condition," he finished quietly.

The man nodded and nervously bent over Cremia.

"Pamela, dear, take your toys upstairs and play.."

The young girl couldn't go any faster as the two men uncovered Cremia's torn, bloody body.

The young doctor gasped and made for his first aid kit immediately, spreading disinfectants and ointments over the girl's cuts and bruises, bandaging and gauzing her where it was needed. He cringed as he observed the sexual assault that had been done to her, but no more than Oni's reaction to the discovery. The demon dug his fingers into his dark-sleeved arm, biting his lip to prevent a disastrous reaction that might've hurt the family..

"P-please hand me the gauze, my good sir.."

Half an hour later, Cremia, still barely conscious, lay in the bed as Oni explained the situation to the young man, who refused to look Oni straight in the eye for some reason.

The demon warrior stared blankly into the untouched coffee that the man, whose name was Marcus, had prepared for him.

"So...that Jindeel fellow is g-gone then..?" Dr. Marcus asked quietly.

Oni nodded as he finally sipped the lukewarm coffee.

"I am very sorry about your situation. I hope that the girl emerges healthy and well."

"I do too.." Oni said softly as the thunder rumbled outside.

The two men glanced out the window from the small table upstairs. The smoke seemed to be clearing in the distance as the rain gradually put the fire out.

Dr. Marcus sighed shakily as he stared at Oni's sapphire-encrusted neck piece.

"So Clocktown is.."

"Most likely destroyed...yes...I do not know if there are casualties, nor do I know if there are survivors. We can only hope for the best.."

"Daddy, she's awake!"

Dr. Marcus jumped in his chair.

"Pamela, I told you not to go downstairs!"

But Oni was ahead of the doctor, down the steps and bending over Cremia, whose eyes had fluttered open and locked gazes with his own...

xxxx

He was beautiful, yet so sad...so concerned..

His bright white eyes shone with love and care for her...

She smiled slightly as he ran his large yet gentle hand through her hair..

She winced slightly as he touched the deep cut down her cheek..

"Oni..."

And then he kissed her.

Her eyes fluttered in slight surprise, but oh did she kiss back.

Dr. Marcus went a deep pink and threw a hand in front of his daughter's eyes as Oni and Cremia wordlessly admitted their love for each other in his home.

Cremia looked into Oni's eyes, which were wet with tears of an emotion mysterious to her.

She felt as if...she could look into them forever..

xxxxx

Oni couldn't help but smile as he trudged through the mud of Ikana Canyon and toward Termina Field. Even though he was on his way to check out the state of Termina's damage and try to rescue as many people as he could, he felt this feeling of...of...he couldn't even explain it... as he stepped into Termina Field.

Cremia was still in the home of Dr. Marcus, Oni had pleaded with him to let her stay there until everything was clear, and even though he seemed extremely concerned about his young daughter having to see someone in such condition, he agreed.

Oni looked around Termina Field. Most of the grass had been burnt black, the trees were charred and the outer walls of Clocktown had the marks of fire upon them.

Oni quickened his pace, breaking into a jog toward the entrance of South Clocktown.

xxxxx

It was the sight that he'd dreaded walking upon.

The buildings were black, the festivities of a wedding still hanging above his head, although blackened to shreds. Smoke still hung loosely in the air.

The tall structure in the middle of the town lay in pieces. Oni felt the crunch of a burnt ad for carpenter jobs under his boot as he shakily walked through the damage.

But where were the townspeople..?

A knot formed in Oni's stomach as it came to him that they were probably still in their beds..

The demon nervously pushed the half-burnt door of the Stock Pot Inn out of his way before bracing himself to see the bodies of the victims.

He pushed a bedroom door open and gasped quietly at the sight of two people..

These two people... still holding each other...charred to skeletons..

Oni's stomach tightened even more as he moved on to the next room..

A dancer... barely alive.. her clothes burnt to nothing but shreds on her injured body.. crying over the form of what looked like her twin sister..

In the bed across from them lay the third Gorman, the outcast of the triplets, mumbling a prayer as tears fell from his eyes...he seemed unable to move as his semi-burnt body shook..

And the last room..

In the last room he found a couple..

A couple that paid no heed to him whatsoever as he stared down upon them..

A young, redhaired woman in a blackened nightgown, her arms severely burnt and her hair singed, leaned over a young man with purple hair, who looked injured beyond recovery..

Oni's hands shook as he heard the man tell the woman that he would wait for her in heaven..

And that he'd love her no matter what..while she cried upon his shaking chest.

He couldn't take it..

But he had to, for the sake of the people.

xx

Oni had amateurly treated the survivors with the creams and bandages that Dr. Marcus had sent with him, he'd carried them all onto beds after having to force them off of their deceased loved ones.

He'd gone all around each section of Clocktown, trying to harden his heart to the sight of the dead, injured, and grieving.

He later took a seat on the stairs of East Clocktown, leaning his head forward onto his clasped hands, and offered a prayer to the Divine One and thanked Him for everything good and bad.

Termina would be restored...

And it would be avenged..

Jin was gone, but Oni wasn't quite done yet.

Throwing his sword over his shoulder, he shakily forced himself to stand.

Looking back at the town one more time, he exited and began to walk toward Great Bay.

xxxx


	19. Chapter 19

"What?!"

"I swear! Right clean off his shoulders, in a puddle of blood!"

Aveil brought her fist down on the table in the middle of her throne room, causing a bottle of beer to shatter on the cold granite floor. Shani jumped slightly, but kept her poise.

"Did you check his-"

"Yeah. They were empty."

Aveil exhaled forcefully.

"There goes our money."

Shani and another Gerudo pirate, Rima, exchanged weary glances as Aveil cursed under her breath. Their leader then looked up at them with a grim expression.

"Back to your duties."

"Is there anything we can-"

"NOW."

Shani nudged Rima lightly and shrugged as they made their way toward the exit of the throne room, leaving Aveil in her raw, silent rage.

Shani ran a hand over herself tenderly as tears fell from her eyes. Rima squeezed her shoulder and hoped what she was thinking wasn't true.*

What did she do for that Jin fellow in order to be given the highest paid task he'd requested?

Rima shook her head and followed Shani to the exit.

And then a large shadow loomed over the throne room as the pirates screamed in terror..

xxxxx

"Thank you."

Pamela giggled as she watched Cremia sip carefully at the hot tea she'd brought the ranch girl. The latter smiled at Pamela warmly.

"Oh, you're welcome! Teehee! So, can I come play with the horses one day?"

"Pamela, mind your manners, Miss Cremia needs her rest.."

Cremia looked up at the top of the stairs, where red-haired Dr. Marcus smiled kindly down at her.

"How are you feeling there, Miss?"

Cremia nodded slightly. "My back is sore, and my cuts still sting quite a bit, but I feel much better," she lied.

Of course she felt like crap..

She'd just been brutally assaulted by an insane Gerudo and she had no idea whether her friends were even alive. She'd lost all her animals, which most likely meant losing her business all together.

She hadn't seen Romani in such a long time..

"Miss?"

Cremia jumped slightly. "Oh, I'm fine."

Dr. Marcus' brow furrowed slightly.

"Let me know if you need anything.."

"Thank you, Dr."

xxxxxx

"Which one..?"

The pirates backed up into a wall, nearly dropping their weapons as he advanced upon them.

Rima shook her sword threateningly, only to have the giant demon knock it clean out of her grasp.

The woman gasped and grabbed Shani's shoulders, who pushed her off anxiously.

Oni growled as he lowered his long, twisted sword to the nearest pirate's throat.

"Which one of you did it..?"

"D-did what? Huh?" squeaked one of the pirates in faux bravery.

Oni turned toward the woman, whose face went a shade lighter under his deadly gaze.

"Who hurt Cremia?" His voice rose dangerously.

Suddenly, Shani's face twisted in fear. One look at her and Oni knew it.

"You. Step forward."

Tears streamed down Shani's face as she hesitated.

"NOW.."

Shani fell to her knees and held her hands up in surrender.

"I'm sorry, please s-spare me-"

Oni pulled Shani roughly to a standing position by her long red hair, pulling her fiercely to face him.

"Why should I let you live...?" He stared daggers into her glistening yellow eyes.

Shani stuttered. "I...I think I'm..."

Oni's eyes narrowed as he shook the girl lightly.

"Yes?"

Shani bit her lip. "I think I'm pregnant."

Oni's face softened slightly, but his grip remained firm.

"You lie."

Shani's eyes dropped to her exposed stomach, and Oni's followed.

Sure, there was a slight swell to her abdomen...but it wasn't enough for Oni.

The demon dropped Shani to the ground and looked at the rest of the pirates.

"Why should I spare the rest of you? The fire in Clocktown has your names written all over it."

"W-we were bribed.. P-promised a lot of gold and money.." stuttered Rima.

Oni restrained himself with difficulty from striking the woman in the face.

"Bribed? Promised?! IS THIS WHAT YOU DO?"

Oni's voice rang through the throne room dangerously.

"Of course."

Oni turned to see their leader Aveil, arms crossed and face confident.

The pirate leader strolled steadily across the room and stood in front of her women.

"Pathetic. Cowering in the presence of a man? You poor excuses for Gerudo."

Aveil struck the nearest pirate in the chest before turning toward Oni.

"We did what we did. Problem? I don't care. Leave before you're killed."

Oni stared down into the disgusting confident determination on the woman's face.

"Maybe I should kill you first."

Aveil's eyes flashed slightly, but she didn't budge.

"My women will have you dead before you raise your sword."

Oni glanced over at the other pirates. Rima was on the floor comforting Shani, while half of them stared at her and muttered in disbelief. The other half stared at Oni like frozen deer.

He glanced back down at Aveil, who'd finally been drained of color upon realizing she was alone.

"I don't think so."

Oni then grabbed Aveil by her upper arms and lifted her eye-to-eye with himself.

"You listen to me. If I ever" he shoved her against the wall roughly "ever, ever see any of your faces outside of this fortress, I will kill you on the spot. But meanwhile.." The demon warrior glanced at the group of frightened pirates, "I will arrange for your persecution once Clocktown is restored. I dare you to defy my orders."

Oni dropped Aveil to the ground and turned toward the rest.

"Is this understood?"

The women nodded hesitantly. Aveil whimpered on the floor as she nodded rapidly.

Before Oni exited the throne room, he turned to face Shani one more time.

"As for you...had you not been with child, I would've slain you on the spot."

And he left as the pirate burst into frightened tears.

xxxxx

1 week later.

xxxxx

"Daddy, daddy, the big silver man is back!"

Dr. Marcus looked up from his task of redressing Cremia's wounds.

"Open the door, love, tell him we're downstairs."

Cremia smiled as she watched Oni descend the steps, his fairly long silver hair framing his tired, dirt streaked face.

"Oni..."

"Cremia..how..how do you feel..?"

Oni removed his armor, revealing a tight black turtleneck under a sapphire necklace. He took a seat gently next to Cremia as she sat up in the bed.

"I feel wonderful now.." Cremia blushed as she made eye contact with the man she loved.

Loved...yet was still afraid of, in a sense, as his white eyes shone upon his dirty cheeks over a slight smile.

Was it fear that she felt...?

Apprehension... but why..?

It didn't matter...

"I've missed you.."

"I've missed you as well."

Dr. Marcus smiled as he finished treating and redressing the wounds.

"I'll let you have some alone time to talk, as Miss Cremia seems to be doing better.."

As the doctor and his daughter went upstairs, Oni ran his hand gingerly through Cremia's loose, strawberry red hair.

Cremia blushed again, taking the demon warrior's hand.

"How's Clocktown..?"

Oni sighed. "Better.. they're rebuilding already.."

"And...what about...the people..?"

Cremia cringed as Oni shifted uncomfortably. The news she'd dreaded asking about.

Oni tucked his silver locks behind an ear before clearing his throat.

"I'll start with the ones who survived.."

Cremia squeezed Oni's hand, hoping for good news..

As Oni went through the names, she was beyond relieved to hear that Anju and her mother were among the survivors.

"What about..Kafei?"

Oni paused before lowering his head and shaking it slightly.

Cremia's hands flew over her mouth as she gasped. Oni held her gently as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Among the dead were Marilla Rosa, a Rosa twin. The young green-haired secretary and her boyfriend. Captain Viscen of the Guard. Honey and Darling. One of the carpenters. And a few others.

"...but they're rebuilding now and trying to fix things. The young guard Shiro has taken the place of Captain Viscen, bless his soul. Luckily, the Mayor, his wife, and a few others had gone into hiding once they saw the fire, once they'd realized they couldn't run.."

"Poor Kafei.." Cremia whispered into her hands as she wept.

Oni solemnly stared at his hands for a while before standing up.

"I'm going to go help them restore Clocktown. They need someone with my strength. Maybe they'll come to realize I'm someone they can trust."

And with that, he kissed Cremia's cheek and left Ikana Village.

"Good man, that Oni.." said Dr. Marcus as he closed the door.

Cremia nodded. "Yes he is," she whispered to herself as she closed her eyes.

xxxxx

(A/N: Yes, I know, Shani got pregnant like 2 days after her alleged encounter with Jindeel. It's Zelda, screw logic. ^^)


	20. Chapter 20

**1 month later.**

"Higher!"

As the men secured the last wooden pole to a tower, Clocktown was finally restored.

Oni exhaled as he admired his work, well, mostly his work as the rest of the carpenters sat around the borders of the tower for a break.

"I bet you boys are hungry."

Oni's heart fluttered as the red-haired beauty sauntered over happily with a tray of sandwiches for the hungry men. She looked up at him with a happy smile.

"You did a great job, Oni," she said softly as she handed him a wrapped sub and a juice box.

Oni smiled down at his beautiful lover. "Thank you, Cremia."

The girl smiled as she pranced off to serve the rest of the men their lunch.

Oni sighed happily as he watched Cremia pass the tray around. He was very glad to see her getting much better, although he saw the sadness she tried to hide in her eyes.

Clocktown seemed empty. People were forcing themselves to act cheery for their children and loved ones, but nothing could relieve the pain of their tremendous losses.

It had a month since the fire..

xxx

One month.

Cremia smiled as she saw Anju descend the steps from East Clocktown to admire the handiwork of the carpenters.

"Cremia, good morning."

"Good morning, Anju."

The two young women embraced and then looked into each other's eyes.

It didn't take long for tears to fill Anju's as she fought not to think about the past.

"Oh, Anju.."

Cremia pulled her friend back into a tight hug and patted her back.

"I...just can't believe..I..he.."

Cremia comforted Anju softly as the latter sobbed silently into her shoulder.

"Is everything alright?" asked a soft male voice.

Cremia looked up to see Oni with a solemn expression on his face. She sighed and nodded hesitantly.

Of course, Oni knew what was wrong. He just hated to see the people of Termina in such pain.

Anju pulled away from Cremia gently and walked back to East Clocktown without another word.

"She'll be alright.." sighed Cremia as she squeezed Oni's hand, which sent shivers down his spine.

Her touch..

The softness of her touch still sent fire through Oni's body.

Cremia blushed as she felt Oni's pulse quicken slightly.

"You alright, Oni?"

If Oni could blush, he would've been red as a cherry.

"Y-yes.."

His desire for her was so strong...he wanted her forever.

He gingerly tilted Cremia's chin as he lowered himself to her level and looked into her eyes.

"I love you, Cremia."

"I love you..so much, Oni," came the soft, passionate response.

"Cremia...meet me at Great Bay tonight, okay?"

"Alright..." came the slightly reluctant response. Oni smiled slightly.

"Is there a problem?"

"Oh, no!" Cremia said quickly. "I just..." the girl faltered as she blushed.

"Great Bay, then. Tonight, around sundown." Oni smiled as he headed toward the exit of Clocktown, leaving Cremia slightly puzzled. She had no idea what he had in store for her..

xxx

"Julian?"

Oni entered the Oceanside Spider House, grabbing a torch along the way in.

"Julian, are you home?"

"Master Oni? W-what are you doing here?"

Oni looked down to see one of the Stalfos servants straightening her maid uniform nervously.

"Hello, I just want to talk to him, is he here?"

The maid nodded. "But I think he's quite occupied at the moment-"

Just then, Julian walked down the hall hand-in-hand with the girl from the Bombchu Bowling Alley, both of them red in the face and giggling.

"Oni?!"

Julian stopped in his tracks and grew even redder in the face. Oni smirked.

"Occupied, are we, now?" He continued to smirk as Julian stuttered.

The girl next to him giggled as she held out her hand. Oni hesitated before shaking it.

"I'm Dolly, pleasure meeting you...erm..Oni.." She giggled harder as Julian cleared his throat.

"Pleasure.."

"Let me escort you back, Dolly," said Julian nervously as he led the blue-haired beauty out of the hall, " I'll be back in a few, Oni, hang in there.."

xxx

"Occupied?"

"It gets lonely, okay?" stammered Julian as Oni smirked.

"Anyway, how are things? In Clocktown? And with Cremia?"

Oni raised his brows slightly as he sipped the iced tea the maid had served them as they sat in the grandest of living rooms.

"Great.. I just wanted to ask your opinion of something..."

xxx

The clouds grew ever-thicker as Cremia hurried to get back to the ranch. She mounted a chestnut colored stallion, one that belonged to the late Captain Viscen, and rode back toward Milk Road. She heard her uncles arguing over racing prices, and inwardly thanked the Divine One once again that they were alive.

The ranch was empty. The girl sighed as she removed the harness from the only animal she owned, and sat in the rustling grass as thunder rumbled softly above the vast ranch.

Cremia sighed as the lukewarm wind whipped through her hair.

Suddenly, she jumped as she spotted movement from the cedar forest behind the ranch.

"W-who's there?"

No sound but the rustling of trees and soft thunder.

Cremia felt for her knife and walked tensely toward the fence, calling out once again.

"Hello?"

She gasped as she saw a bespectacled young blonde man, who looked equally started as he eyed the knife in the girl's hand.

"Easy there, lass!"

"Who are you?"

The man's brown eyes twinkled.

"I've been waiting 'ere a good few hours a day for summin' to show up!"

Cremia's brow furrowed. "Wha-"

"I assume this 'ere lot belongs to ya."

And as the young man clicked his tongue, a group of animals followed him:

Four cows, three goats, seven Cuccoos, two mules, and a very excited little dog.

"Lola!"

The dog jumped into Cremia's arms and licked her face as she stared at the rest of the animals in amazement.

"Where did you-"

"Took care of 'em when I saw them lookin' all frazzled n such.. followed their hoof-prints back e're every few days to see if anyone was here...but no one ever showed up."

The man smiled. "I assume they belong to ya, lass, am i right?"

Cremia smiled and hugged the man graciously.

"Thank you so much!"

The young farmer laughed as he straightened his glasses.

"Yer very welcome! Pleasure taking care of these animals...'ey, 'ey, no need for that," he laughed as Cremia dug around her wallet," No need to pay me!"

Cremia smiled and thanked the young man once again before packing him a basket of food for his journey back to rural Queensley.

She laughed happily once again as she brushed and tended to the animals before heading upstairs for a well-deserved soak in the bathtub.

xxxx

It was 6 pm as Oni stepped out of the Oceanside mansion in a royal blue sweater and black pants. He ran his fingers through his long, shaggy silver hair as he waited on the beach.

Oni smiled slightly to himself as he anticipated his lover's expression...

He thumbs-upped Julian from the beachside before the smaller man smiled and ran back into his cave mansion.

And he waited..

xxx

"There.."

Cremia admired her reflection. She'd curled her hair, applied bright red lipstick, and dawned a formal-casual little black dress- her mother's.

She touched her natural eye makeup up with a slight smoke of the eyeshadow, smiled once again and looked at the pair of monsters on the floor.

High heeled pumps.

"Oh, boy.."

Cremia nervously slipped her feet into the glossy black pumps.

She had no idea what Oni had planned, but she sure wanted to look nice for it.

xxxx


	21. Chapter 21

The sun was bright orange in its position, half-hidden by the dark blue waters of Great Bay as Oni nervously ran his fingers through his hair.

"Any minute now.."

"Oni?"

The demon turned to see the most beautiful...most breathtaking woman he'd ever laid eyes on.

"Cremia..Cremia, you look...ahh," Oni gently grasped Cremia's hand as he brought it to his lips. The girl blushed as she looked into her lover's eyes.

"You're finally here," Oni beamed as he straightened himself up again.

He's so handsome..thought Cremia as she admired her man's smooth tan skin and silky mane of silver hair.

She's so beautiful...Oni's face went warm as he ran a hand lightly over the back of Cremia's neck.

He chuckled softly as Cremia's eyes traveled to the ground in modesty.

"Cremia...?"

"Hm?" The girl looked up into Oni's eyes.

Those eyes...

Oni held his breath momentarily as the shocking cerulean of her irises melted his heart.

This was it.. Oni took a breath.

"Oni...are you alright?"

Cremia jumped ever so slightly as Oni suddenly dropped to his knees.

"Close your eyes.."

Slight apprehension appeared on the girl's face as she heard Oni unzip something. Her heart raced in her chest. What would she do..? How would she-

"Open your eyes."

Cremia gasped as tears slid down her cheeks, slightly smoking her eyeshadow.

"Will you marry me?"

Oni trembled slightly in anxiety as he awaited Cremia's answer. He glanced at the silver ring with the sapphire in the middle. Maybe it wasn't enough...of course it wasn't enough-

"Oomf!"

Oni felt his head collide with the warm sand as Cremia threw herself onto him in a fierce embrace.

"Yes! Yes, Oni, yes!"

And the couple kissed passionately on the beach that evening, holding each other as they savored their future.

xxxx


	22. Chapter 22

**Four months later.**

"I look like crap!"

Anju paced the salon as one of the flowergirls spat vulgar insults regarding her job on the girl's makeup and hair. Anju sighed.

"I wanted more! Why didn't you put more?"

"Your mother didn't want you to look like a teenage girl, you're eight years old-"

"I DON'T CARE!"

Cremia shook her head and smiled as Anju tried to reason with the angry little girl.

It was her wedding day. She sat in a chair in Anju's little makeshift salon she'd set up in one of the vacant rooms downstairs.

Anju'd done an amazing job on her hair and makeup. Her red locks were pulled into a loose, elegant updo full of little white flowers and a silver tiara to finish it off.

Her makeup was simple, natural, and fresh, just the way she liked it.

Cremia sighed happily as she watched Judo Rosa, the dancer, straighten the wedding dress that hung on the door. She turned to look at the bride in the chair across the room.

"I wish Marilla was here to enjoy this day," she said softly.

Cremia nodded with a solemn expression on her face.

"Me too, Judo. We all do," the bride sighed as she stared at her beautiful dress.

A mermaid cut dress completely bedazzled in rhinestone, it was a work of beauty.

Pamela, Dr. Marcus's daughter, sat across from Cremia as one of Anju's helpers curled her short brown hair.

"You look so pretty, Cremia. I want to look like you when I grow up."

Cremia beamed as the little girl smiled happily.

She was thankful for such innocent honesty and beautiful people in her life.

"Cremia? Cremia!"

The girl looked up at the sound of her name and screamed in delight.

"Romani!"

Cremia flung herself out of the chair and embraced her giggling little sister, who now had tear-stricken cheeks to match her sister's.

"Cremia, no, dear, don't cry-"

Cremia ignored the women as she embraced her sister tightly.

"Oh, how I've missed you Romani.."

"I missed you more! I really did! Where's Lola?!"

Cremia laughed through her tears.

"Lola is at the ranch, waiting for us to come home."

Romani giggled as she hugged the rest of the women and sat down in a chair to have her hair done when Anju instructed her to.

"Ah, Cremia, you look lovely."

Cremia looked up to see her Aunt and Uncle from Queensley. Her aunt wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked at her beautiful niece.

"If only your mother and father were here to see what a beautiful bride their little Cremia made.."

Cremia smiled sadly as her uncle wiped the tears from his thick brunette mustache.

"A beautiful bride indeed."

Cremia tried hard to restrain herself from crying more as her aunt and uncle embraced her.

How could one be so happy and so sad at once..?

xxxxx

Cremia sat in the carriage as she, Romani, Anju, and the flowergirls made their way toward Great Bay.

The wedding would be held in the large, elaborate hall of Julian's oceanside mansion, a place not many knew about, a place Julian would most likely begin charging money for soon, thought Oni with a smile as he waited in the now-filling up hall.

"How you feelin', groom?" beamed Julian as he paced the hall in a debonair, shiny green suit.

Oni sighed. "Nervous.."

Julian laughed as the demon warrior groom ran a hand through his gleaming silver hair.

"Hey, stop touching it, it's got gel in it!"

The men laughed nervously together as the hall became more and more lively as people took their seats at the elaborate tables placed around the large, echoey room.

"Oh, look, it's the...erm..groom."

Oni turned toward the snooty voice and exhaled in exasperation.

Viola, the blonde woman that'd eyed him up and down in prejudice, smirked at him from a short distance away.

"Congratulations, I guess."

Oni nodded shortly before turning back to Julian hastily.

But his friend was already smiling at the entrance of the hall happily.

"And there she is.."

xxxx

Cremia took nervous, long breaths as the eyes of everyone in the grand hall were fixated on her. Anju squeezed her hand lightly.

"It'll be alright," she whispered. Cremia saw the tears in her best friend's eyes.

Poor Anju..

The women embraced for a moment, earning a quiet 'aww' from a few tables.

"Don't cry, I told you, don't cry," whispered Anju through her own tears.

Cremia looked at Anju with a sad smile before turning toward the hall and starting her long walk to her groom as the Indigo-Gos struck up a melody of matrimony.

And she saw him...

Dressed in a dark grey suit over a black dress shirt, with his hair slick yet fell messily around his face, his face glowing with an elated smile, her lover.

She felt as if she were dreaming as she held her bouquet tightly as she passed her loved ones and fellow Terminians in their seats.

Dr. Marcus winked reassuringly at Cremia as his precious daughter threw flower petals behind Cremia along with the other little flowergirls.

Even Anju's mother was smiling as tears of happiness rolled down the young bride's cheeks.

She saw the late postman's girlfriend sitting red-eyed, yet smiling, next to the Bombchu girl, who seemed to be pre-occupied with staring at Oni's best man.

A few of the guests eyed Oni apprehensively, but Cremia didn't care. She knew there would be a number of oppositions and social obsticles, but she didn't care.

She continued to walk gracefully toward the one she loved..

And she reached him after what seemed like an eternity...

She'd never seen him look so happy..

xxxx

She was so beautiful..

Oni couldn't help it. He really couldn't. Another 'awww' broke through the hall as the tall, silver man wiped tears of happiness from his glowing white eyes.

"Cremia and Oni."

The officiant, a middle-aged Terminian man in a dark blue suit, smiled at the glowing couple.

"Dearly Beloved," began the man as Oni grasped Cremia's hands lovingly, "we are gathered together here in the sign of the Divine One – and in the face of this company – to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore – is not by any – to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly – but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together – let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Silence, aside from Anju's sniffling.

"I now pronounce you: man and wife. You may kiss the bride-"

And the man was almost knocked over as Oni pulled his bride into a passionate liplock that earned the couple the loudest, most emotional 'awww' of the night.

The couple pulled apart reluctantly and beamed into each others' tear-stained faces.

Man and wife.

The sound of it made Oni's heart beat with never-ending passion for his lover.

He pulled her into another kiss as the world witnessed their eternal entwining of the hearts.

Man and wife.

Lover and lover, heart and heart.

And they didn't give a second thought to the ones who didn't like it.

xxxxx


	23. 2 years later

**2 years later.**

The waves of Great Bay tickled the shore lightly as the lukewarm wind of a Terminian spring teased Cremia's hair gently.

She sat hand-in-hand with her husband, watching the waves as they shared a cool, crisp lemonade and smiled at the Zora teenagers that played in the water.

Oni sighed happily as he pulled Cremia into his arms as they watched the beach together.

People were coming and going, looking and wondering, but they'd long gotten used to the stares they received, and disregarded them with innocent smiles and little care.

Cremia laughed gently as Oni ran his hand over the small bump on his wife's abdomen.

They would have a child in a few months, and they couldn't wait..

A child..

A child played across from them, a little girl, with fiery red hair and gleaming amber eyes. Her sun-bronzed skin was coated with wet sand as she attempted to build a sandcastle.

Cremia laughed as she crawled over toward her to help, but only for the young toddler to burst into frightened tears.

"Mama!" The young Gerudo baby sobbed as she looked around the beach for her mother.

A Gerudo child...that meant..

Cremia tensed up slightly as she eyed her husband warningly.

"Let's go home, Cremia.."

The woman nodded and began to gather the towels when she spotted the child's mother walking briskly toward her daughter in a revealing green bikini, her burgundy hair pulled up in a messy bun.

Tension grew as she made eye contact with Cremia.

And the ranch girl knew what was up when she felt her husband's arm flex beneath her grip.

"Shani.."

The Gerudo suddenly looked deathly afraid as Oni glared down at her.

They stayed that way for a short moment, before the Gerudo shakingly scooped her whimpering daughter into her arms and took off toward the fortress.

Cremia went pale as the memory grasped her. She gave her head a quick shake and looked up at Oni, who glared after the woman.

"Had she not been pregnant at the time...I would've.."

"Oni.." Cremia sighed and leaned against her lover.

"If she wasn't a mother... I.."

"It's ok," Cremia half-lied. "I'm ok."

Oni sighed and tilted his wife's chin as she smiled at him reassuringly.

"I love you, Oni."

"I love you more.."

"No."

"Yes.."

"Nope!"

"Yes I do, don't deny it!"

The couple laughed as they had their 'I love you more' argument all the way back to the ranch, where thirteen year old Romani was horseback riding with her little boyfriend, fifteen year old Link, aka Grasshopper.

"No funny business, little guy," warned Oni jokingly as he eyed Link.

"I'm not little," squeaked Link in his mid-puberty voice before he went red and cut off eye contact with the smiling Oni.

Romani later was sent to a boarding school for teenage girls in Queensley, where she furthered her education in the hope of becoming a heart doctor. Yeah, she dreamed pretty big for a little ranch girl. Link explored Queensley while his girlfriend studied.

A few months later, Cremia gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, who was given the name Rayan, a shorter version of Oni's late father's name Rayyano.

They lived on the ranch and raised the animals together.

They did all their work together, and spent almost all their time together.

They couldn't have been happier.

xxxxx

The End~


End file.
